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15 July 2026
Operators of Transnational Elder Fraud Scheme Plead GuiltyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Four Dominican nationals have pleaded guilty, and another has been sentenced, for their roles in connection with a transnational “call center” operation in the Dominican Republic that tricked hundreds of elderly victims in the United States into believing that their grandchildren or other close family members were in trouble and needed money. In total, the investigation identified over 400 victims with an average age of 84, including at least 50 in Massachusetts, and more than $5 million in losses.
Oscar Manuel Castanos Garcia, 34; Joel Jose Cruz Rodriguez, a/k/a “Paflow,” 34; Edward Jose Puello Garcia, 45; and Joel Francisco Mathilda Leon, 27, have each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud and one count of money laundering conspiracy. The defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2024. They were arrested in August 2025 in the Dominican Republic at the request of the United States, extradited, and detained pending trial.
A fifth defendant, Luis German Santos Burgos, 33, was sentenced on June 25, 2026 by U.S. District Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 48 months in prison and three years of supervised release for his role in the elder fraud operation.
A sixth defendant, Gerardo Heriberto Nuñez Nuñez, 41, has agreed to plead guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy for his role in laundering scam proceeds from the United States to the Dominican Republic.
According to the charging documents, the defendants, led by Castanos Garcia, ran a sophisticated “call center” operation in the Dominican Republic that tricked hundreds of elderly victims in the United States into believing that their grandchildren and other close family members were in trouble and needed money. Once the defendants obtained the money, they laundered their illicit proceeds back to the Dominican Republic.
Castanos Garcia oversaw call centers in the Dominican Republic, where he employed co-conspirators who spoke English and carried out what are commonly known as “grandparent scams.” These scams would begin with an “Opener” employee, who would call victims and pretend to be a grandchild who was in an accident. Then, a “Closer” would allegedly follow up with another call, pretending to be the grandchild’s attorney, asking for a sum of money to pay for the grandchild’s attorney’s fees. Castanos Garcia ran these call center locations with the help of several managers, including Cruz Rodriguez and Puello Garcia, who supervised, instructed and paid the employees.
Callers for Castanos Garcia’s call centers would instruct elderly victims to provide cash to “runners” in the United States, including Joel Francisco Mathilda Leon. Most often, the callers would instruct victims to give the packages with cash to rideshare drivers who were ordered to the victim’s house by a runner. Runners would then have the unsuspecting rideshare drivers deliver the packages to the runners at nearby locations. In some cases, the callers would direct the victims to ship packages of cash to specified addresses via mail or commercial carriers.
Often times, the call center would call victims again and ask for additional funds for their grandchildren, sometimes two or three additional times. For example, callers would claim that there had been a “mix up” or that a “pregnant women’s baby was lost in the crash.”
At times, co-conspirators would order unwitting rideshare drivers to drive the elderly victims to the bank to withdraw additional funds.
Castanos Garcia directed the runners to deposit the victims’ money into bank accounts or deliver it to co-conspirators. The operators of the scheme relied on money launderers in the United States and the Dominican Republic, including Nuñez Nuñez, to transmit proceeds from victims in the United States to Castanos Garcia and others in the Dominican Republic. As alleged in the indictment, Nuñez Nuñez provided call center operators with access to bank accounts in the names of purported businesses, into which runners deposited scam proceeds. He also arranged for the runners to hand-deliver cash from victims to individuals in New York and elsewhere. Nuñez Nuñez then provided cash to the call center operators in the Dominican Republic.
Santos Burgos ran another grandparent scam call center in the Dominican Republic and coordinated with Castanos Garcia to send U.S.-based runners to pick up scam proceeds for their respective operations.
Members of the public who believe they may be victims of this case, or other elder fraud scams, should contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). Suspected fraud can also be reported on the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center.
The charge of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the loss to the victim. The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the amount of laundered funds, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and law enforcement partners in the Dominican Republic. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Holcomb of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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ADDENDUM
Defendant
Alleged Role
Charges
Status
Oscar Manuel Castanos Garcia, 34, of the Dominican RepublicCall Center OperatorConspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud; and money laundering conspiracy.In custody; pleaded guiltyJoel Jose Cruz Rodriguez, a/k/a “Paflow,” 34, of the Dominican RepublicCall Center ManagerConspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud; and money laundering conspiracy.In custody; pleaded guiltyEdward Jose Puello Garcia, 45, of the Dominican RepublicCall Center ManagerConspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud; and money laundering conspiracy.In custody; pleaded guiltyJoan Manuel Mathilda Leon, 28, of the Dominican Republic and the Bronx, N.Y.Recruited and oversaw “runners”; runnerConspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud; and money laundering conspiracy.In custodyLuis German Santos
Burgos, a/k/a “Mambo Flow,” 33, of the Dominican Republic and Dorchester, Mass.
Call Center AffiliateConspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud; and money laundering conspiracy.Sentenced to 48 months prisonGerardo Heriberto Nuñez Nuñez, 41, of the Dominican RepublicMoney LaundererMoney laundering conspiracy.In custody; agreed to plead guiltyRansel Starlin Tavarez Jimenez, 27, of the Bronx, N.Y.Recruited and organized “runners”; runnerConspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud; and money laundering conspiracy.At-largeJoel Francisco Mathilda Leon, 27, of the Bronx, N.Y.RunnerConspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud; and money laundering conspiracy.In custody; pleaded guiltyAndry Joel Baez Santana, 32, of the Bronx, N.Y.RunnerConspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud; and money laundering conspiracy.In custodyJose Osvaldo Polanco Batista, a/k/a “Obbi,” 29, of Winter Park, Fla.RunnerConspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud; and money laundering conspiracy.In custodyChaman Samael Silverio Balbuena, a/k/a “Chammy,” 31, of Defiance, Mo.RunnerConspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud; and money laundering conspiracy.In custodyManuel Nicolas Rivera Cueto, 26, of Santa Clara, Cal.RunnerConspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud; and money laundering conspiracy.In custodyJose Arony Fermin Vasquez, a/k/a “Chiky,” 31, of N.J.RunnerConspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud; and money laundering conspiracy.At-largeOahu Man Pleads Guilty to Transferring Money to Iran in Violation of U.S. SanctionsRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Arash Einolghozati, 37, of Waialua, Oahu, pled guilty on July 13, 2026 in federal court to transferring funds from the United States to Iran without a license, in violation of U.S. sanctions. Sentencing is set for October 29, 2026.
According to court records, beginning as early as March 2017, and continuing until at least April 2022, Einolghozati engaged in multiple money transfers intended to move money from the United States to Iran. Einolghozati sent both government-issued currency and cryptocurrency from within the United States to recipients that he knew were in Iran or to recipients who would further transfer the funds to individuals in Iran. In each case, Einolghozati knew that it was unlawful to send the funds without a license from the U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control but did so anyway. As described in the plea agreement, Einolghozati transferred more than $150,000 to Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions.
Einolghozati faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and a period of supervised release of up to three years.
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Albanese is prosecuting the case.
Norfolk Man Sentenced to 35 Years for Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Noah Hale, 21, of Norfolk, Nebraska, was sentenced on July 9, 2026, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for one count of production of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Hale to a total of 420 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Hale’s release from prison, he will begin a lifetime term of supervised release. Hale was additionally ordered to pay $3,460 in restitution and $3,000 which will contribute to funds established for victims of these types of cases.
In February 2024, FBI Omaha was contacted regarding an investigation into a trend where individuals groom and subsequently entice victims, often minors, into a variety of concerning behaviors. These behaviors included engaging in and recording self-harm and producing sexually explicit images of themselves at the request of the predator. Noah Hale was identified as a suspect during the investigation. The FBI received several tips that associated Hale using various social media accounts where he requested, posted, and/or sent child pornography.
A search warrant for Hale’s residence and his devices was executed on February 29, 2024. A review of those devices revealed approximately 2,300 media files that were flagged as files of interest. Most of these files appeared to be original content created by females Hale victimized. The files depicted females, a majority of whom were apparent minors, engaged in various circumstances to include: self-harm and self-mutilating behavior, child pornography, and “fan signs” which are files in which the female had written names associated with Hale on their body or on a sign.
FBI underwent extensive efforts to locate the females identified in these files. Thirty minor females, between the ages of 11 and 17, from across the United States and in at least one other country were able to be identified from the 2,300 files. It was discovered that Hale would use various tactics of enticing, love bombing or threatening these minors with physical and sexual harm in order to convince them to produce images or videos of themselves for Hale. The files produced at Hale’s request were often sadistic and degrading.
“Hale is every parent’s worst nightmare: the type of predator who can gain access to their children even when they are in their own homes with their loved ones all around them,” said United States Attorney Lesley Woods. “This type of predator grooms, manipulates, and threatens children and by the time they realize what is going on, the predator has them convinced of the lie that they have to comply with his sick demands. Hale deserves every minute of his federal prison time. May he never talk to another child online so long as he lives.”
After the sentencing, FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel said, “Criminals like Noah Hale are a horrific and chilling example of how child predators use technology to locate and victimize the most vulnerable members of our community. We will never stop using every investigative resource we have to identify and apprehend subjects like Hale and ensure he will not be in a position to harm another child for a very long time. We appreciate all the work of our law enforcement partners in this case to help bring some measure of justice on behalf of those victimized.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Nineteen Individuals Plead Guilty to Statewide Bank Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida– Nineteen individuals have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud. These individuals include Qornelious Campbell (33, Winter Haven), Kenneth Cole II (27, Winter Haven), Kenisha Coffer (27, Minneola), D’Andranika Crews (22, Lakeland), Ebony Fields (28, Winter Haven), Victoria Ferrer (24, Lakeland), Aaliyah Gotay-Woods (25, Bartow), Bre’asia Harris (28, Winter Haven), Jaun Hillman (53, Winter Haven), Keith Honors, Jr. (41, Lakeland), Kendrick Iles (22, Plant City), Arkuria Lewis (24, Lakeland), Deven Little (30, Lakeland), Josie Lopez (31, Haines City), Clarissa Morris (26, Lakeland), Tamiria Perry (29, Winter Haven), Tamaries Richardson (32, Bartow), Kalei Spicer (24, Live Oak), and Tyler Jacob (26, Winter Haven). Jacob also pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft, witness tampering, and destruction of evidence. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, in 2023, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office initiated an investigation into a violent street gang known as the “Trap Boys,” who were operating throughout the Middle District of Florida. This investigation and subsequent arrests were predicated upon several retaliatory shootings between the Trap Boys and other violent street gangs. During these arrests, several members of the gang were found to be in possession of large quantities of checks, debit cards, financial statements, and identification cards in the names of third parties. Further investigation of these materials revealed that from at least July 2021, and continuing through November 2023, a group of individuals had engaged in a conspiracy to defraud banks, credit unions, individual persons, and various businesses throughout Florida, including Winter Haven, Auburndale, Riverview, Kissimmee, Lakeland, Tampa, and Miami.
As part of this conspiracy, the co-conspirators stole checks from individuals and businesses. Using check writing software, the co-conspirators then altered those checks and created fictitious checks, changing the banks, businesses, and the check amounts. Using automated systems and online databases, the co-conspirators then learned of the banking information of various businesses, including their transaction history, account balances, check numbers and other information. Members of the conspiracy then recruited accomplices who provided members of this conspiracy with their own bank account numbers, Social Security numbers, debit cards, and their own individual bank account log credentials and passwords. The co-conspirators then deposited the fraudulently created checks at dozens of banks and credit unions throughout the Middle District of Florida.
Over the course of this conspiracy, approximately 26 banks and more than 200 victims were defrauded, including insurance companies, law firms, construction companies, tile companies, auto shop businesses, public school districts, colleges, and state agencies.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.
Nine Criminal Aliens from Venezuela Plead Guilty for Roles in Sex Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
Nine criminal aliens from Venezuela have pleaded guilty to human trafficking, alien smuggling, and money laundering charges related to a sex trafficking ring operated in several motels in Nashville, Tennessee.
According to court documents, the defendants orchestrated a human trafficking and smuggling scheme targeting vulnerable Venezuelan women, recruiting them to the U.S. with promises of employment. After arranging and facilitating their smuggling into the U.S., the defendants directed the women to Nashville. Once there, the women were told they owed an inflated smuggling debt, which they could only repay through commercial sex work. Those who resisted faced threats of physical harm against themselves and their families in Venezuela. The defendants profited by taking a cut of the women’s earnings in addition to collecting on the inflated smuggling debts.
“Human smuggling and trafficking operations represent a dangerous convergence of exploitation and lawlessness,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These perpetrators profited off human suffering while chipping away at the integrity of our border. These convictions show that protecting vulnerable individuals and securing our border are not competing goals.”
“This criminal organization exploited vulnerable women, enriched itself through coercion and violence, and showed complete disregard for human dignity and the rule of law,” said U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee. “We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to hold human traffickers accountable, dismantle transnational criminal organizations operating in our communities, and ensure justice for victims."
“Homeland Security Investigations is committed to the pursuit and dismantlement of transnational criminal organizations that exploit vulnerable people for profit,” said Special Agent in Charge Dennis M. Fetting of HSI Nashville. “The outcome of this Homeland Security Task Force investigation is a testament to the positive impact law enforcement can have when working in collaboration towards the common goal of holding these criminals accountable.”
“This case demonstrates the Homeland Security Task Force’s unwavering commitment to protecting our communities from human trafficking and smuggling schemes that exploit vulnerable people for financial gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “FBI Nashville, working alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively investigate and dismantle criminal networks that threaten public safety.”
“This case is a stark reminder human trafficking and smuggling operations prey on our communities most vulnerable, using violence and intimidation to exploit innocent lives for profit,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Richard Gaskins of IRS Criminal Investigation, Charlotte Field Office. “By dismantling this network, we send a clear message to those who target victims with threats and coercion. We remain committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to protect victims and bring perpetrators to justice.”
“We have said it before, and these guilty pleas reiterate: if you lure vulnerable people to this country with lies, force them into sexual exploitation, and profit from their suffering, we will find you, dismantle your operation, and hold you accountable,” said Director David Rausch of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. “This case is a powerful reminder that when our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners stand together, there is no haven for human traffickers.”
Yilibeth Carmen Rivero-de Caldera (“Rivero”) and her son, Kleiver Daniel Mota Rivero (“Mota”), led and managed the human trafficking and smuggling scheme. Rivero enlisted her adult children and their spouses, Mota’s girlfriend, and others to take on various roles in the scheme. Rivero, Mota, and defendant Ramon De Jesus Velasquez Martinez (“Velasquez”) used threats of violence, including wielding firearms, to intimidate and force compliance from the women trafficked by the organization. To further intimidate the women, Mota and other defendants engaged in conduct that made the victims believe Mota was affiliated with a Venezuelan prison gang and openly spoke about Mota’s prior prison term for homicide in Venezuela.
Rivero, Mota, Velasquez, and the six other defendants — Wilmarys Del Valle Manzano Solorzano (“Manzano”), Endrik Alexander Morales-Rivero (“Morales”), Ariannys Beatriz Gutierrez-Carrillo (“Gutierrez”), Frankyanna Del Valle Romero-Rivero (“Romero”), Jesus Enrique Castillo Rodriguez (“Castillo”), and Yuribetzi Del Valle Gomez Machuca (“Gomez”) — arranged or otherwise aided the smuggling of the victims into the United States, posted online commercial sex advertisements for the victims, set up commercial sex appointments with men who responded to the postings, and collected the proceeds of the commercial sex acts.
Rivero, Mota, Romero, and Morales pleaded guilty to sex trafficking conspiracy, conspiracy to bring aliens to the United States for financial gain, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Castillo pleaded guilty to sex trafficking conspiracy and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Gutierrez, Gomez, and Velasquez pleaded guilty to sex trafficking conspiracy. Manzano pleaded guilty to conspiracy to bring aliens to the United States for financial gain and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The charges Rivero, Mota, Romero, Morales, Castillo, Gutierrez, Gomez, and Velasquez pleaded guilty to carry a statutory maximum penalty of life in prison. Manzano pleaded guilty to charges that carry a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison.
The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced during the week of Nov. 16. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Trial Attorneys Lindsey Roberson, Jessica Arco, and Alexandra Skinnion of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Katy Risinger for the Middle District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
These prosecutions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole- of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
The Nashville HSTF comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), United States Marshals Service (USMS), United States Secret Service (USSS), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and other federal agencies, working in collaboration with our state and local partners, with the prosecutions being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee.
The investigation and charges are further supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean, and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant United States Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 465 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 419 U.S. convictions; more than 363 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Photo of the Somatel Hotel where Trafficking Occurred Additional Photo of the Somatel Hotel where Trafficking Occurred Photo of the Super8 Hotel where Trafficking Occurred Additional Photo of the Super8 Hotel where Trafficking OccurredNine Criminal Aliens from Venezuela Plead Guilty for Roles in Sex Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
Nine criminal aliens from Venezuela have pleaded guilty to human trafficking, alien smuggling, and money laundering charges related to a sex trafficking ring operated in several motels in Nashville, Tennessee.
According to court documents, the defendants orchestrated a human trafficking and smuggling scheme targeting vulnerable Venezuelan women, recruiting them to the U.S. with promises of employment. After arranging and facilitating their smuggling into the U.S., the defendants directed the women to Nashville. Once there, the women were told they owed an inflated smuggling debt, which they could only repay through commercial sex work. Those who resisted faced threats of physical harm against themselves and their families in Venezuela. The defendants profited by taking a cut of the women’s earnings in addition to collecting on the inflated smuggling debts.
“Human smuggling and trafficking operations represent a dangerous convergence of exploitation and lawlessness,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These perpetrators profited off human suffering while chipping away at the integrity of our border. These convictions show that protecting vulnerable individuals and securing our border are not competing goals.”
“This criminal organization exploited vulnerable women, enriched itself through coercion and violence, and showed complete disregard for human dignity and the rule of law,” said U.S. Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee. “We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to hold human traffickers accountable, dismantle transnational criminal organizations operating in our communities, and ensure justice for victims."
“Homeland Security Investigations is committed to the pursuit and dismantlement of transnational criminal organizations that exploit vulnerable people for profit,” said Special Agent in Charge Dennis M. Fetting of HSI Nashville. “The outcome of this Homeland Security Task Force investigation is a testament to the positive impact law enforcement can have when working in collaboration towards the common goal of holding these criminals accountable.”
“This case demonstrates the Homeland Security Task Force’s unwavering commitment to protecting our communities from human trafficking and smuggling schemes that exploit vulnerable people for financial gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “FBI Nashville, working alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively investigate and dismantle criminal networks that threaten public safety.”
“This case is a stark reminder human trafficking and smuggling operations prey on our communities most vulnerable, using violence and intimidation to exploit innocent lives for profit,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Richard Gaskins of IRS Criminal Investigation, Charlotte Field Office. “By dismantling this network, we send a clear message to those who target victims with threats and coercion. We remain committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to protect victims and bring perpetrators to justice.”
“We have said it before, and these guilty pleas reiterate: if you lure vulnerable people to this country with lies, force them into sexual exploitation, and profit from their suffering, we will find you, dismantle your operation, and hold you accountable,” said Director David Rausch of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. “This case is a powerful reminder that when our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners stand together, there is no haven for human traffickers.”
Yilibeth Carmen Rivero-de Caldera (“Rivero”) and her son, Kleiver Daniel Mota Rivero (“Mota”), led and managed the human trafficking and smuggling scheme. Rivero enlisted her adult children and their spouses, Mota’s girlfriend, and others to take on various roles in the scheme. Rivero, Mota, and defendant Ramon De Jesus Velasquez Martinez (“Velasquez”) used threats of violence, including wielding firearms, to intimidate and force compliance from the women trafficked by the organization. To further intimidate the women, Mota and other defendants engaged in conduct that made the victims believe Mota was affiliated with a Venezuelan prison gang and openly spoke about Mota’s prior prison term for homicide in Venezuela.
Rivero, Mota, Velasquez, and the six other defendants — Wilmarys Del Valle Manzano Solorzano (“Manzano”), Endrik Alexander Morales-Rivero (“Morales”), Ariannys Beatriz Gutierrez-Carrillo (“Gutierrez”), Frankyanna Del Valle Romero-Rivero (“Romero”), Jesus Enrique Castillo Rodriguez (“Castillo”), and Yuribetzi Del Valle Gomez Machuca (“Gomez”) — arranged or otherwise aided the smuggling of the victims into the United States, posted online commercial sex advertisements for the victims, set up commercial sex appointments with men who responded to the postings, and collected the proceeds of the commercial sex acts.
Rivero, Mota, Romero, and Morales pleaded guilty to sex trafficking conspiracy, conspiracy to bring aliens to the United States for financial gain, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Castillo pleaded guilty to sex trafficking conspiracy and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Gutierrez, Gomez, and Velasquez pleaded guilty to sex trafficking conspiracy. Manzano pleaded guilty to conspiracy to bring aliens to the United States for financial gain and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The charges Rivero, Mota, Romero, Morales, Castillo, Gutierrez, Gomez, and Velasquez pleaded guilty to carry a statutory maximum penalty of life in prison. Manzano pleaded guilty to charges that carry a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison.
The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced during the week of Nov. 16. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Trial Attorneys Lindsey Roberson, Jessica Arco, and Alexandra Skinnion of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Katy Risinger for the Middle District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
These prosecutions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole- of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
The Nashville HSTF comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), United States Marshals Service (USMS), United States Secret Service (USSS), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and other federal agencies, working in collaboration with our state and local partners, with the prosecutions being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee.
The investigation and charges are further supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean, and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant United States Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 465 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 419 U.S. convictions; more than 363 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
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New Orleans Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Distributing Fentanyl and Methamphetamine and Committing Federal Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – LIONEL WINDING, JR. (“WINDING”), age 21, was sentenced on July 14, 2026 by Chief U.S. District Judge Wendy B. Vitter to 15 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, along with a $700 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to seven federal drug and gun offenses, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
WINDING was sentenced for his convictions that included, one count of conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846; two counts of distributing various quantities of fentanyl, two counts of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), (b)(1)(C), and (b)(1)(D); and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i).
According to court documents, over the course of five transactions between November 2024 and January 2025, WINDING, and his co-conspirators, sold fentanyl, methamphetamine, and firearms to individuals he believed to be legitimate purchasers with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. WINDING was personally armed with a handgun during two of those transactions. WINDING was arrested on January 30, 2025. Law enforcement officers searched the motel room where he was staying and recovered cocaine and marijuana that WINDING intended to sell, and a Glock Model 22 firearm equipped with a drum magazine that was loaded with 25 rounds of ammunition.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. `
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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Nevada Businesswoman Sentenced to Prison for Fraudulent Scheme Seeking Millions in COVID-19 Tax CreditsRead the Press Release
A Nevada woman was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for conspiring to defraud the United States by filing false COVID-19 employment tax credits. The government recommended a sentence of 40 months’ imprisonment.
“The Fraud Division will not tolerate anyone who steals from public benefits programs designed to support Americans in need,” said Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division Colin M. McDonald. “If you attempt to defraud these programs, we will come after you with the full force of federal law. We are committed to safeguarding America’s tax dollars and the programs they are meant to support.”
“Today’s sentence, once again, highlights our District’s commitment to the American taxpayer that when people commit fraud, they will face the legal consequences of those criminal acts,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Adonia Stiles, of Las Vegas, was a real estate agent, tax preparer, and clothing store owner. Stiles conspired with others to file false tax returns fraudulently seeking refunds based on the employee retention credit (ERC) and sick and family leave credit. Congress created both the ERC and the sick and family leave credit to aid struggling businesses during the COVID-19 global pandemic.
Stiles caused one of her co-conspirators, Candies Goode-McCoy, to file 11 false employment tax returns for Stiles’s clothing store seeking a total of more than $800,000 in refundable tax credits. Stiles also referred 18 other people to Goode-McCoy, for whom Goode-McCoy filed over 150 false employment tax returns. Goode-McCoy claimed $15 million in fraudulent tax credits on behalf of these taxpayers, which resulted in the United States paying out more than $7 million in refunds. In exchange for making these referrals to Goode McCoy, Stiles received at least $135,000. She did not report this income on her individual income tax returns. In April 2026, Goode-McCoy was sentenced to 54 months in prison for her role in the scheme.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey ordered Stiles to serve two years of supervised release and to pay $7,079,121.48 in restitution to the United States.
IRS Criminal Investigation and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration investigated the case.
Trial Attorney John C. Gerardi of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Anthony Lopez of the District of Nevada prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the 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.
Nevada Businesswoman Sentenced to Prison for Fraudulent Scheme Seeking Millions in COVID-19 Tax CreditsRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Nevada woman was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for conspiring to defraud the United States by filing false COVID-19 employment tax credits. The government recommended a sentence of 40 months’ imprisonment.
“The Fraud Division will not tolerate anyone who steals from public benefits programs designed to support Americans in need,” said Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division Colin M. McDonald. “If you attempt to defraud these programs, we will come after you with the full force of federal law. We are committed to safeguarding America’s tax dollars and the programs they are meant to support.”
“Today’s sentence, once again, highlights our District’s commitment to the American taxpayer that when people commit fraud, they will face the legal consequences of those criminal acts,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Adonia Stiles, of Las Vegas, was a real estate agent, tax preparer, and clothing store owner. Stiles conspired with others to file false tax returns fraudulently seeking refunds based on the employee retention credit (ERC) and sick and family leave credit. Congress created both the ERC and the sick and family leave credit to aid struggling businesses during the COVID-19 global pandemic.
Stiles caused one of her co-conspirators, Candies Goode-McCoy, to file 11 false employment tax returns for Stiles’s clothing store seeking a total of more than $800,000 in refundable tax credits. Stiles also referred 18 other people to Goode-McCoy, for whom Goode-McCoy filed over 150 false employment tax returns. Goode-McCoy claimed $15 million in fraudulent tax credits on behalf of these taxpayers, which resulted in the United States paying out more than $7 million in refunds. In exchange for making these referrals to Goode McCoy, Stiles received at least $135,000. She did not report this income on her individual income tax returns. In April 2026, Goode-McCoy was sentenced to 54 months in prison for her role in the scheme.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey ordered Stiles to serve two years of supervised release and to pay $7,079,121.48 in restitution to the United States.
IRS Criminal Investigation and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration investigated the case.
Trial Attorney John C. Gerardi of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Anthony Lopez of the District of Nevada prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the 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.
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Montgomery County Schoolteacher Sentenced to More Than a Decade in Prison for Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A Maryland woman is headed to federal prison for more than 12 years in connection with a drug-trafficking transaction that left a victim dead.
U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Sarah Katherine Magid, 36, of Burtonsville, to 151 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute fentanyl. Judge Xinis also ordered Magid to pay a restitution amount of $25,090, for costs associated with the victim’s burial.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division, and Chief Marc R. Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD).
According to court documents, in March 2024, Magid distributed fentanyl that resulted in the death of a victim. During the investigation, law enforcement discovered text messages between Magid and the victim pertaining to distributing fentanyl. Specifically, a forensic analysis of the victim’s cell phone revealed a text conversation and subsequent meeting between Magid and the victim.
The messages uncovered a drug transaction involving pills that were pressed to appear like oxycodone hydrochloride pills, but they actually contained fentanyl. After the meeting and transaction, the victim was found deceased. The Office of Chief Medical Examiner of the District of Columbia determined the victim died from fentanyl toxicity.
Additionally, in July 2024, a complainant reported to law enforcement that Magid, a Montgomery County first-grade schoolteacher, exited her classroom to sell drugs to people outside of the school. Law enforcement subsequently identified text messages from Magid’s phone indicating that she dealt drugs during work hours.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA and MCPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan S. McKoy and Elizabeth Wright 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, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Montezuma Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Receipt of Child Pornography and Cyber StalkingRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Montezuma man was sentenced on July 8, 2026, to 15 years in federal prison for receiving child pornography and 11 counts of cyber stalking.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Jack James Erselius, 20, procured and created computer-generated child pornography images of 13 different victims under the age of 18. Law enforcement seized electronic devices during a search of Erselius’ Story County residence. A forensic examination of the seized electronic devices showed that Erselius used the devices to create AI-generated images containing child sexual abuse material of real girls with their clothes removed. Erselius would send screenshots of satellite views of victims’ homes, their family’s contact information, and live updates on victim’s locations to the people online that Erselius solicited to stalk and rape the victims.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Erselius will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Erselius also ordered to pay $5,979.46 in restitution and a special assessment of $5,000 under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The University of Iowa Police Department and Johnson County Joint Forensic Analysis Cyber Team investigated the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Missoula woman sentenced to over five years in prison for trafficking methRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Missoula woman who fled from a city park after trying to sell meth was sentenced today to five years and three months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Jody Lynn Pope, 30, pleaded guilty in February 2026 to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Pope, who also goes by Jody Lynn Nygaard, was dealing methamphetamine in Missoula. Law enforcement used an informant to set up a buy from Pope at Franklin Park on Dec. 10, 2025. Pope arrived in a vehicle driven by Brandon Gregory Genet, who sped away from the park when he spotted law enforcement. Genet was sentenced to prison on July 7, 2026, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Law enforcement found Pope on Dec. 11, 2025, who acknowledged to officers she had gone to Franklin Park the night before to sell 3 ounces of meth and that she had already sold 8 ounces of meth the previous week.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI's Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force and DEA conducted the investigation.
Mexican National Unlawfully Residing in the United States Sentenced to Federal Prison for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.— A Mexican national unlawfully residing in the United States was sentenced to federal prison last week for conspiring to distribute over 20 kilograms of methamphetamine and over 800 grams of fentanyl pills.
Carlos Manuel Perez Lopez, 43, was sentenced to 136 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.
“Bulk narcotics distributors like Carlos Manuel Perez Lopez profiteer from the misery of their customers’ addictions,” said Scott E. Bradford, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “Multi-agency collaboration and coordination between state and federal authorities are a powerful force multiplier in combatting narcotics traffickers. This investigation is a shining example of how combined federal and state enforcement efforts can thwart drug traffickers’ efforts to poison our community. Drug dealers in Oregon are on notice.”
“Mr. Perez Lopez put profits ahead of human life by distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine into our communities,” said Robert A. Saccone, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “DEA and our partners are relentlessly pursuing those responsible, disrupting the supply chain, and bringing traffickers to justice. Every fentanyl seizure represents lives protected. Through Fentanyl Free America, we remain committed to making our communities safer and building a future free from the threat of fentanyl.”
According to court documents, in September 2024, DEA task force investigators identified Perez Lopez as a large-scale local drug distributor.
On September 13, 2024, after learning Perez Lopez was expecting to receive a drug shipment, investigators followed Perez Lopez to a meeting at a truck stop in Aurora, Oregon, where Perez Lopez met briefly with two men near a blue semi-truck bearing license plates from Mexico and a Texas temporary tag.
Investigators stopped Perez Lopez near Tigard, Oregon. Perez Lopez was the driver and sole occupant of the Camry. Investigators detained Perez Lopez and then searched the car after a drug detecting canine alerted to the presence of narcotics in the car. Below is a photo of the drugs that were seized from the trunk:
Inside the Camry, investigators seized over 20 kilograms of methamphetamine and 820.4 gross grams of fentanyl pills.
Meanwhile other investigators were following the semi-truck as it traveled northbound on I-5 from the truck stop. Soon after investigators stopped Perez Lopez, the semi-truck left the highway and parked at a public rest stop near Wilsonville, Oregon, barely three miles from the truck stop. The occupants of the semi-truck fled the truck, leaving it running and abandoned at the rest stop. Investigators lawfully searched the cab of the truck where they found and later seized approximately 209.68 pounds of methamphetamine concealed in suitcases. Below is an image of the drugs seized from the semi-truck:
On September 14, 2024, Perez Lopez was charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
On April 1, 2026, Perez Lopez pleaded guilty to a superseding information alleging conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the DEA, Tigard Police Department, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Sherwood Police Department, and the Westside Interagency Narcotics Team. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul T. Maloney.
This case 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 Portland comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, DEA, USMS, IRS-CI, ATF, USPIS, CBP, TSA, U.S. Coast Guard, Oregon Air, Army National Guard Counterdrug program, and Oregon-Idaho HIDTA with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
Mexican National Unlawfully Residing in the United States Sentenced to 15 Months in Federal Prison for Prohibited Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Mexican national was sentenced to federal prison last Thursday for illegal possession of a firearm and illegal reentry.
Ramon Oscar Morales-Valencia, 47, was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison and 3 years’ supervised release. His sentence will run concurrent with his recent Marion County drug possession conviction.
“Illegal possession of firearms and narcotics by prohibited individuals fuels gun violence in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford. “Combatting gun violence is a priority, and my office will pursue those who think they are above the law.”
“As if his illegal reentry into the United States was not enough, Morales-Valencia intentionally chose to further break our nation’s laws by illegally possessing a firearm and methamphetamine,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “The unlawful possession of firearms and narcotics by prohibited individuals poses a serious threat to the safety of our communities, and ATF will continue to identify, investigate, and prosecute those who endanger our citizens.”
According to court documents, Morales-Valencia was formally removed from the United States in 2010. On April 19, 2025, Marion County Sheriff’s Deputies initiated a traffic stop on an SUV Morales-Valencia was driving. He stopped the SUV and stepped from the vehicle, removing a Ruger 9mm pistol from his waistband and setting it on the driver’s seat. Deputies recovered the firearm as well as methamphetamine from the SUV.
Morales-Valencia pleaded guilty in state court to possession of methamphetamine and was sentenced to 29 months. On September 16, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging Morales-Valencia with alien in possession of a firearm and illegal reentry.
U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Explosives and Firearms with the assistance of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by U.S. Attorney’s Office.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Mechanicsburg Business Owner Sentenced to Prison for Failing to Pay Employment TaxesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Omar Barron, age 49, of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to imprisonment for 12 months plus one day by United States District Judge Keli M. Neary, for failing to account for and pay employment taxes.
According to the United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Barron owns Miracle Steel, Inc., a structural steel business located in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. In 2024, Barron was charged with failing to account for and pay over employment taxes on behalf of Miracle Steel for 2018 and 2019 and two quarters of 2020. As part of a guilty plea, Barron admitted to failing to pay over $980,784.95 in employment taxes during his commission of the offense. As part of the sentence, Judge Neary ordered Barron pay the full outstanding tax liability as restitution.
“Business owners have a responsibility to withhold income taxes for their employees and then remit those taxes to the Internal Revenue Service,” stated Yury Kruty, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Philadelphia Field Office.
The investigation was conducted by IRS-Criminal Investigation, Philadelphia Field Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Terz.
Massachusetts Man Charged with Nashua Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
Massachusetts Man Charged With Nashua Bank Robbery
CONCORD – A Massachusetts man has been charged in federal court with bank robbery, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. He was arrested on July 8, 2026, and appears before the court this afternoon.
Joseph Sawyer, 52, of Townsend, Massachusetts, allegedly robbed at gunpoint the St. Mary’s Bank located at 4 Northwest Boulevard in Nashua on June 12, 2026. According to the criminal complaint, the FBI identified Sawyer as the suspect after investigating a similar bank robbery that occurred two weeks later in Boonton, New Jersey.
If convicted, Sawyer faces up to 25 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The details contained in the criminal complaint are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
FBI Boston is leading the investigation. The Nashua Police Department, FBI New Jersey, FBI Albany, New Jersey State Police, New York State Police, Warren County (NY) Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Attorneys’ Offices for the District of New Jersey, Northern District of New York, and District of Massachusetts provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Shannon is prosecuting the case.
Maryland Felon Pleads Guilty in D.C. to Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Joseph Thompson, 37, a previously convicted felon residing in Oxon Hill, Maryland, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Thompson pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. Judge Mehta scheduled sentencing for Nov. 18, 2026.
According to court papers, on March 7, 2025, members of the Metropolitan Police Department's Robbery Suppression Unit were on patrol in the 4600 block of Livingston Road SE when they saw Thompson standing outside the South Capitol Liquor Store. As officers approached, Thompson abruptly ended a conversation and entered the store.
An officer addressed Thompson and noticed a heavy, rectangular object in Thompson's jacket pocket after his unzipped coat shifted open. As another officer remarked to Thompson that his pocket looked heavy, Thompson broke into a sprint. Officers chased him and during the pursuit Thompson tossed a firearm into the street.
Officers recovered a loaded .45-caliber pistol with one round in the chamber and 13 additional rounds in the magazine. The firearm was not registered in the District, and Thompson did not have a concealed carry permit.
Thompson has a previous 2017 felony conviction out of Arlington County, Virginia, for which he was sentenced to five years in prison, therefore making it unlawful for him to possess any firearm.
The investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Office.
The matter was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole.
Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
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Manchester Man Pleads Guilty to Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Manchester Man Pleads Guilty to Failing to Register as a Sex Offender
CONCORD – Christopher Hodgeman of Manchester, 35, pleaded guilty today to one count of failing to register as a sex offender as required by the federal Sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”), U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. U.S. District Court Judge Steven J. McAuliffe scheduled Hodgeman’s sentencing for October 27, 2026.
According to the court documents and statements made in court, SORNA requires individuals convicted of certain sex offenses to register as a sex offender in the state in which they reside or work. Among other things, SORNA requires sex offenders to register their online identifiers such as email addresses and online accounts and usernames. Hodgeman is required to register as a sex offender under SORNA due to his 2021 conviction for possessing child exploitation material (also known as child pornography). In 2024, Hodgeman pleaded guilty and was sentenced in the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire to one count of failure to register in violation of SORNA arising from his failure to register online identifiers he used in direct messaging applications. Beginning at least by December 2025, and continuing through January 2026, Hodgeman used the private direct messaging applications Signal, Zangi, and WhatsApp. For each application he had a unique online identifier. Hodgeman used these applications and online identifiers to exchange sexually explicit messages with multiple different women. Hodgeman knew he was required to register his online identifiers, yet he never reported these online identifiers in his sex offender registration paperwork.
The charge of failure to register carries a sentence of up to 10 years’ incarceration, at least 5 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The United States Marshals Service investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Hunter is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Madison Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Homeland Security Task Force Case Involving Methamphetamine and FentanylRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Andre B. Morriss, 49, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced on July 1, 2026 by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 7 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Morriss pleaded guilty to this charge on April 15, 2026.
On March 12, 2024, investigators purchased 28 grams of methamphetamine and 15 grams of fentanyl from Morriss at his residence in Madison, Wisconsin. The next day, Morriss was arrested during a traffic stop in Sauk Prairie based on an active Wisconsin Department of Corrections warrant.
After his arrest, Morriss remained in custody, but he continued to communicate with an associate via jail video visit calls, often discussing their drug trafficking business. Over the following weeks, Morriss and the associate discussed their drug trafficking customers, specific drug sales that were to take place, and Morriss gave the associate advice on drug trafficking, including prices, how to keep customers happy while making money, and to have the associate tell customers that Morriss was still in charge. During the period of these calls, investigators purchased hundreds of grams of methamphetamine and smaller quantities of fentanyl from the associate.
At sentencing, Judge Conley highlighted Morriss’ lengthy criminal record and said the number of times he had previously been revoked from supervision was concerning. Judge Conley felt Morriss should be outgrowing his criminal behavior at his age, but instead, his conduct was escalating.
The charge against Morriss was the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Dane County Narcotics Task Force, Lake Winnebago Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group, Wisconsin State Patrol, and Madison Police Department. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven P. Anderson and Kathryn Ginsberg prosecuted this case.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) Program 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 federal 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.
Labcorp Agrees to Pay $14.5M to Resolve False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
Laboratory Corporation of America (Labcorp), a national clinical diagnostics company, has agreed to pay $14,500,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims to Medicare Part B (Medicare) for medically unnecessary urine drug testing (UDT) for some patients conducted pursuant to a testing panel offered by Labcorp, called “Toxassure Comprehensive.”
“The government expects that any testing it pays for is medically necessary and not wasteful or structured in a way that maximizes billing opportunities for providers at the expense of the federal fisc,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to hold providers who do otherwise accountable.”
“Today’s settlement reflects my Office’s enduring commitment to combatting healthcare fraud and recovering taxpayer money. Labcorp’s conduct resulted in Medicare payouts for unnecessary tests,” said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts. “We will continue to hold accountable providers who engage in fraud, waste, and abuse.”
“Medicare beneficiaries and taxpayers should be able to trust that testing and billing practices are fair and appropriate,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Miranda L. Bennett of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS‑OIG). “Today’s settlement makes clear that when providers put profits before patients and ignore billing rules, we will act decisively to hold them accountable.”
Labcorp’s Toxassure Comprehensive panel contained both “Presumptive” and “Definitive” UDT methods. In general, Presumptive UDT detects the presence or absence of certain drug classes subject to certain testing thresholds while definitive UDT identifies individual substances and their concentrations, where applicable. Medicare payment for UDT is based on bundled payment rates associated with the Current Procedure Terminology (CPT) or Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) codes. In general, for laboratory-based Presumptive testing, Medicare pays a flat rate no matter the number of drug classes tested, pursuant to CPT code 80307, and for definitive testing Medicare pays a flat rate for 22 or more drug classes per HCPCS Code G0483.
As part of the settlement, Labcorp admitted, acknowledged, and accepted responsibility for the following facts:
- From Jan. 1, 2018, through Nov. 22, 2023, Labcorp routinely submitted claims for presumptive and definitive UDT to Medicare, some of which pursuant to a testing panel marketed by Labcorp as “ToxAssure Comprehensive.”
- ToxAssure Comprehensive consisted of a preselected combination of presumptive UDT for certain substances and direct to definitive UDT (i.e., with no prior presumptive test) for other substances.
- Labcorp ran many of these tests simultaneously for the same patient, on the same date of service, using the same urine sample, and billed Medicare with CPT Code 80307 for the presumptive UDT and HCPCS Code G0483 for the definitive UDT. In other words, Labcorp billed Medicare for both the all-inclusive presumptive CPT code and the highest-tier definitive HCPCS code each time the ToxAssure Comprehensive was performed.
- For several of the substances tested on a direct-to-definitive basis, a presumptive testing option existed but Labcorp performed its definitive tests without first performing a presumptive test to inform the necessity of definitive testing for that substance.
The United States alleged that the full ToxAssure Comprehensive panel billed as described above resulted in the submission of medically unnecessary claims to Medicare for some of the patients for whom it was performed. Labcorp also represented in the settlement agreement that it has ceased billing to Medicare the combination of codes 80307 and G0483 for beneficiaries testing using the ToxAssure Comprehensive panel. Labcorp has been credited in this settlement under the Department of Justice’s guidelines for taking disclosure, cooperation and remediation into account in False Claims Act cases, Justice Manual §4-4.112.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, in conjunction with HHS-OIG.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrate the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at www.oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraud or 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
This year the Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the Administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules. The Civil Division’s FCA enforcement plays a critical role in combatting such fraudulent schemes, recovering billions of dollars for the American taxpayers, and holding wrongdoers accountable. FCA matters will continue to be on the forefront of the battle against fraud, and the Civil Division’s FCA work will support and advance the mission of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division.
The matter was handled by Fraud Section Senior Counsel for Health Care Fraud Augustine Ripa and Assistant U.S. Attorney Abraham George for the District of Massachusetts. Investigative support was provided by HHS-OIG and the FBI.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Labcorp Agrees to Pay $14.5 Million for Testing FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Laboratory Corporation of America (Labcorp), a national diagnostics testing laboratory, has agreed to pay $14.5 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting medically unnecessary claims for urine drug testing (UDT) to Medicare for payment.
Labcorp offered clients a testing panel called “Toxassure Comprehensive,” which contained both “Presumptive” and “Definitive” testing methods. Generally, Presumptive UDT detects the presence or absence of certain drug classes subject to thresholds, while Definitive UDT identifies individual substances and their concentrations, where applicable. Medicare pays a flat rate for laboratory-based Presumptive UDT, regardless of the number of drug classes tested, and Medicare pays a flat rate for 22 or more drug classes tested under the Definitive method.
As part of the settlement announced today, Labcorp admitted and accepted responsibility for the following facts.
- From Jan. 1, 2018, through Nov. 22, 2023, Labcorp routinely submitted claims to Medicare for Presumptive and Definitive UDT, some of which it submitted pursuant to a testing panel that Labcorp marketed as “ToxAssure Comprehensive.”
- ToxAssure Comprehensive consisted of a preselected combination of Presumptive UDT for certain substances and direct-to-Definitive UDT (i.e., with no prior Presumptive test) for other substances.
- Labcorp ran many of these tests simultaneously for the same patient, on the same date of service, using the same urine sample, and billed Medicare with CPT code 80307 for the Presumptive UDT and HCPCS code G0483 for the Definitive UDT. In other words, Labcorp billed Medicare for both the all-inclusive Presumptive code and the highest-tier Definitive code each time it performed the ToxAssure Comprehensive panel.
- For several of the substances tested on a direct-to-Definitive basis, a Presumptive testing option existed but Labcorp performed its Definitive tests without first performing a Presumptive test to determine the necessity of Definitive testing for that substance.
The government alleges that Labcorp’s conduct resulted in its billing Medicare for medically unnecessary UDT claims.
“Today’s settlement reflects my Office’s enduring commitment to combatting healthcare fraud and recovering taxpayer money. Labcorp’s conduct resulted in Medicare payouts for unnecessary tests,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “We will continue to hold accountable providers who engage in fraud, waste, and abuse.”
“The government expects that any testing it pays for is medically necessary and not wasteful or structured in a way that maximizes billing opportunities for providers at the expense of the federal fisc,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to hold providers who do otherwise accountable.”
“Medicare beneficiaries and taxpayers should be able to trust that testing and billing practices are fair and appropriate,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Miranda L. Bennett of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS‑OIG). “Today’s settlement makes clear that when providers put profits before patients and ignore billing rules, we will act decisively to hold them accountable”
As part of the settlement, Labcorp represented that it ceased billing the combination of CPT code 80307 and HCPCS code G0483 for UDT using the ToxAsssure Comprehensive panel. Labcorp has been credited in this settlement under the Department of Justice’s guidelines for taking disclosure, cooperation and remediation into account in False Claims Act cases, Justice Manual §4-4.112.
U.S. Attorney Foley, AAG Shumate and Acting Deputy IG Bennett made today’s announcement. The case was handled by Civil Chief Abraham R. George along with Senior Counsel for Health Care Fraud Augustine Ripa of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. Investigative support was provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation
La Crosse Man Sentenced to 6 Years for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Eugene Spears, 42, La Crosse, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 6 years in federal prison for possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine intended for distribution. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Spears pleaded guilty this charge on March 23, 2026.
On February 28, 2025, law enforcement learned Spears was traveling to a drug transaction and stopped his vehicle in Ferryville, Wisconsin. Agents found over 250 grams of methamphetamine that Spears admitted he intended to sell to multiple individuals. At the time of the traffic stop, Spears was out on bond for a state drug case.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson acknowledged Spears’s substantial substance addiction was a driving factor for his criminality. However, Judge Peterson noted that Spears’s lengthy criminal history, poor performance on supervision, and escalation in the quantity of drugs he was distributing warranted a long sentence to protect the public and promote deterrence.
The charge against Spears was the result of an investigation conducted by the Prairie du Chien Police Department, Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, City of La Crosse Police Department, and Wisconsin State Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Ayala prosecuted this case.
Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Kansas man indicted for child pornography distributionRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, Colton Wiggins, 25, of Wichita is charged with one count of distribution of child pornography. In February 2026, Wiggins is accused of using a computer to distribute CSAM.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.OTHER INDICTMENTS
Pedro Jose Lerma-Rivas, 37, an illegal alien from Mexico, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case.
Miguel Mendez-Cisneros, 52, an illegal alien from Mexico, was indicted on one count of possession of ammunition by an illegal alien and one count of unlawful reentry after deportation. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case.
Jose Cruz-Vasquez, 38, an illegal alien from Honduras, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Justice Department Triples Claims Processed Under Public Safety Officers’ Benefits ProgramRead the Press Release
Over the last four weeks, the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) has finalized more than three times the number of Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) Program death claim determinations in comparison to the previous nine-month period providing over $96 million in benefits to eligible surviving families of fallen public safety officers.
“Law enforcement officers, firefighters, other public safety officers, and their families devote their lives to keeping us safe and serving their communities. When they experience a tragedy in the line of duty, it is our duty to provide timely support in any way that we can,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche.
The PSOB Program provides death and education benefits to survivors of fallen law enforcement officers, firefighters, and other first responders, and disability benefits to officers catastrophically injured in the line of duty and education benefits to their families. OJP receives more than 1,200 applications each year, working closely with survivors, injured officers, and employing agencies to process applications and adjudicate eligible claims. The PSOB Office also collaborates with national law enforcement, firefighter, and first responder organizations to assist with preparation of PSOB applications and offer survivor peer support, counseling services, and other resources to survivors of fallen law enforcement officers, firefighters, and other first responders nationwide.
“From day one as the Associate Attorney General, I have made it my mission to cut through red tape, get to the bottom of bureaucratic federal processes, and ensure our actions speak louder than our words,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward, Jr. “Four weeks ago, I directed OJP to surge additional resources to the PSOB team to support outreach to applicants, evidence gathering, and claim review and determination. This Department of Justice is unwavering in our commitment to promptly and fairly recognize the sacrifice their loved ones made in service to our Nation.”
The Department of Justice is committed to doing our part to support officers and their families and keeping up this momentum for current and future PSOB applicants.
Additional information about the PSOB Program and how to file or access a claim is available at https://bja.ojp.gov/program/psob. If you have questions about the PSOB Program, please call 1–888–744–6513 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time or email AskPSOB@usdoj.gov.
Jury returns guilty verdict in corruption trialRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 50-year-old Mission resident has been convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering, violating the Travel Act, and witness tampering.
The jury deliberated for approximately three hours before convicting Veronica Inez O’Cana following a three-day trial.
O’Cana had conspired with others to launder approximately $30,000 in funds for the benefit of a member of the Mission Consolidated Independent School District Board in return for favorable consideration and official actions.
The jury heard that co-conspirators attempted to disguise or conceal the payments made to influence official actions through the use of third parties, fraudulent memo lines, and cash. The jury learned that payments were made in attempts to influence a series of actions that would lead to the awarding of an energy savings contract to Performance Services Inc. An employee of that company was also a conspirator in the scheme.
Testimony revealed the ultimate contract was expected to be worth $20-25 million. However, although an initial assessment contract was awarded and an investment grade audit contract signed, the final contract was never approved.
Testimony revealed O’Cana obtained $24,000 during the scheme. Text messages and recordings also showed that she had received the payments.
Law enforcement uncovered the scheme in 2022 and subsequently served O’Cana with a federal grand jury subpoena. She was then recorded on WhatsApp calls with a co-conspirator discussing the need to have the same story regarding the reason for the payments.
The defense attempted to convince the jury there was no proof O’Cana sent the messages and that the witnesses were not credible. They did not believe those claims and found her guilty as charged.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton presided over the trial and set sentencing for Oct. 7. At that time, O’Cana faces up to 20 years for the conspiracy to commit money laundering and witness tampering violations and a maximum of five years for the Travel Act violation.
O’Cana was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
FBI conducted the investigation with assistance from McAllen Police Department and Texas Department of Insurance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Roberto Lopez Jr., Ryan Sim, and Alexa Parcell prosecuted the case.
Jackson County Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
MEDFORD, Ore.—A Jackson County, Oregon, man was sentenced to federal prison last Thursday for possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl.
Eduardo Cortes Cortes, 28, was sentenced to 67 months in federal prison and four years’ supervised release.
According to court documents, in July of 2022, investigators responded to an overdose where the victim was declared deceased with a rolled up dollar bill with crushed pill residue that tested positive for fentanyl. After extensive investigation, Tyren Duarte was determined to be the source of supply to the victim. Law enforcement later identified Cortes Cortes as a source of that fentanyl, and, during a traffic stop involving Cortes Cortes, law enforcement recovered 93 grams of fentanyl pills and 33.66 grams of a fentanyl analogue inside.
On February 2, 2023, a federal grand jury in Medford, Oregon, returned an indictment charging Duarte, Cortes Cortes, and a third co-conspirator with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Duarte previously plead guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison and six years of supervised release on August 19, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI, HSI, and the Medford Area Drug and Gang Enforcement (MADGE). It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara T. Shaw and John C. Brassell.
MADGE, led by the Medford Police Department works to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations operating in and around Jackson County, and reduce illegal drugs and related crimes throughout the community. The task force is comprised of members from the Medford Police Department, The Central Point Police Department, Oregon State Police, the FBI, and HSI. MADGE is supported by our community with the passage of the Public Safety Levy and grant funding from the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program.
Justice Department Awards over $6.3 Million to the Louisiana Commission on Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs has awarded $6,361,777 to the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement (“LCLE”) to provide resources to help Louisiana agencies combat the drug epidemic, violent crimes, and to strengthen the juvenile justice system, announced U.S. Attorney Kurt L. Wall.
$5,894,572 was awarded through Bureau of Justice Assistance. The goal of the grants is to provide state and local government funding to enforce drug control laws, improve the functioning of the criminal justice system, and enhance funds for antiviolence programs, mental health courts and drug courts to fight the drug epidemic and violent crime.
$467,205 was awarded through the Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Program to support the state's ongoing efforts to maintain compliance with the core requirements, strengthen juvenile justice system improvements, and enhance services for youth and communities across Louisiana that promote public safety, reduce juvenile delinquency, and improve outcomes for youth in or at risk of entering the juvenile justice system.
LCLE is a foundation located in Baton Rouge dedicated to improving the operations of the criminal justice and juvenile justice systems and to promoting public safety by providing progressive leadership and coordination within the criminal justice community.
For more information about these awards, please contact the OJP Office of Communications at 202-307-0703 or OJP.OCOM@ojp.usdoj.gov.
Indictments Unsealed Charging Five Individuals with Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A federal grand jury has indicted five individuals on child-exploitation charges, announced U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr.
The following defendants were indicted:
- A four-count indictment charges Gregory Alan Lee, 49, of Irondale, Alabama, with coercion and enticement of a minor, possession of child pornography, and solicitation of child pornography. The incidents occurred between September 2024, and November 2025, in Jefferson County, Alabama.
- A two-count indictment charges John Spencer Murphy, 65, of Huntsville, Alabama, with transportation and possession of child pornography. The incidents occurred in July 2025, and August 2025, in Madison County, Alabama.
- A five-count indictment charges Abigail Marie Roberts, 22, and Michael Clinton Chambers, 26, of Carrollton, Georgia, with conspiracy to engage in the sexual exploitation of children, conspiracy to receive and distribute child pornography, sexual exploitation of children, distribution of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. The incidents occurred in April 2026, in Franklin County, Alabama.
- A 13-count indictment charges Landon Chace Williams, 20, of Cherokee, Alabama with sexual exploitation of children, coercion and enticement of a minor, and possession of child pornography. The incidents occurred between June 2024 and February 2026 in Colbert County, Alabama.
If you suspect or become aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. Reports can be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
FBI investigated the cases along with the assistance of multiple other law enforcement agencies, including Department of Army Criminal Investigations Division, Homewood Police Department, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Colbert County Sheriff’s Office, and Marshall County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys R. Leann White and Sara M. Judah are prosecuting the cases.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Illegal Alien Sentenced for Re-Entry into the United States after Previous Felony Child Endangerment ConvictionRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT – On July 8, 2026, District Judge Terry A. Doughty sentenced Johnny Salazar-Ruano, 41, of Honduras, to one year in federal prison after his March 19, 2026, Guilty Plea for Illegal Reentry of a Removed Alien. Salazar-Ruano had been residing in Bossier City.
Salazar-Ruano was previously removed from the United States on July 3, 2014, on August 17, 2015, and a third time on February 1, 2021, after being convicted in Caddo Parish of felony Domestic Abuse Child Endangerment. In that case, Salazar-Ruano pled guilty to assaulting a woman in the presence of her 12-year-old child.
On January 10, 2026, Salazar-Ruano was again in the United States. Bossier City Police Department (BCPD) officers conducted a traffic stop on a van after observing the driver fail to signal before turning. Officers had prior information from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) that the registered owner of the vehicle had an active federal warrant for Illegal Reentry of a Removed Alien. The driver, later identified as Salazar-Ruano, was ordered to exit the vehicle but refused to comply. When officers opened the driver's door, Salazar-Ruano attempted to crawl toward the passenger side of the vehicle to avoid being detained. After a brief struggle, officers removed Salazar-Ruano from the van, secured him in handcuffs, and verified the active warrant for his removal from the United States. In this incident, Salazar-Ruano was also charged with resisting an officer.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.
The BCPD, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and HSI investigated this case. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison Foster with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Emily Favrot.
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 Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (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 5:26-cr-00037-01.
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Public Affairs
United States Attorney’s Office
Western District of Louisiana
USALAW-News@usdoj.gov www.justice.gov/usao-wdla
Twitter @USAO_WDLAIllegal Alien Sent to Federal Prison for Attempted Meth Smuggling Following Homeland Security Task Force InvestigationRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A Homeland Security Task Force investigation resulted in an illegal alien from Mexico being sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 20 years in prison for trafficking methamphetamine into the United States from Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas Justin R. Simmons.
According to court documents, on April 20, 2025, Veronica Sanchez-Pineda, 47, of Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, approached the Eagle Pass Port of Entry in a pickup truck and gave Customs and Border Protection officers a negative declaration for contraband including narcotics. A secondary inspection resulted in the discovery of a crystal-like substance inside an auxiliary tank in the bed of the truck. The substance tested positive for 521.03 kg of methamphetamine. Sanchez-Pineda consented to a search of her cell phone, which contained a text message about a “job” in Eagle Pass as well as screenshots of money transfers between the defendant and another individual.
Sanchez-Pineda was arrested at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry. She was named in a four-count indictment on May 14, 2025, and pleaded guilty on Dec. 22, 2025, to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. U.S. District Court Judge Ernest Gonzalez presided over the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Warsame Galaydh and Daisy Gonzalez prosecuted the case.
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 comprises agents and officers from FBI; ICE HSI; DEA; ATF; U.S. Border Patrol; USMS; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Department of Transportation; IRS Criminal Investigation; Texas Department of Public Safety; as well as local police departments and sheriff’s offices, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas.
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Idaho man sentenced to 10 years in prison for trafficking meth in MontanaRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – An Idaho man who admitted to travelling to Montana to sell methamphetamine was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, followed by eight years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Duke Lee Flemings, 27, pleaded guilty in March 2026 to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Flemings was driving near Ronan on June 24, 2025, when he was pulled over for speeding. Flemings was wanted on several outstanding warrants and was arrested at the traffic stop, where he told officers they would find drugs in his vehicle. Officers found roughly an ounce of meth and messages on a cell phone that showed Flemings setting up meth deals in Montana.
Flemings was previously convicted of distribution of methamphetamine in federal court in Idaho in 2021.
U.S. Attorney Brian Lowney prosecuted the case. Homeland Security Investigation and the Flathead Tribal Police conducted the investigation.
Human smuggler with cartel ties sentenced for trafficking fentanyl laced with xylazine as part of Homeland Security Task Force investigationRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas - A 24-year-old Laredo man has been ordered to federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Jorge Humberto Medrano Jr. pleaded guilty Jan. 6.
U.S. District Judge John A. Kazen has now ordered Medrano to serve 135 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release.
At the hearing, the court heard how Medrano was closely tied to Cártel del Noreste. The court also considered the danger of fentanyl to include its high lethality and that Medrano trafficked fentanyl laced with xylazine which compounds its danger and possibility of death. Xylazine is a veterinary tranquilizer that is not affected by Narcan often used to save people overdosing on fentanyl. Xylazine can also lead to severe skin and soft tissue injuries characterized by deep ulcers that often expose tendons and bones.
In handing down the sentence, Judge Kazen noted how Medrano compounded the already extreme danger of fentanyl as compared to other drugs by lacing it with xylazine. The court also noted the fentanyl epidemic and related overdoses and deaths in the community and how Medrano’s actions contribute to that.
The investigation revealed Medrano trafficked fentanyl and smuggled aliens for multiple years. Medrano had sold fentanyl laced with xylazine to undercover law enforcement on over 20 occasions and attempted to recruit others to smuggle illegal aliens.
His alien smuggling operation was directly tied to Cártel del Noreste. Authorities identified members in ledgers and intercepted alien smuggling events which included nearly 2,000 illegal aliens.
During a search of Medrano’s residence, law enforcement recovered evidence of his criminal conduct and a hat bearing the insignia of Cártel del Noreste.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Scott Bowling prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is now part of the Homeland Security Task Force 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 U.S. 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 South Texas comprises agents and officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations; FBI; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Department of Transportation; IRS Criminal Investigation; Interpol/Department of State; and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas leading the prosecution.
Texas Department of Public Safety also provided significant assistance with this investigation.
Houston Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Smuggling Meth into United StatesRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A Houston man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 30 years in prison for trafficking methamphetamine into the United States from Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.
According to court documents, Yobany Vega, 25, attempted to enter the U.S. through Eagle Pass Camino Real Bridge 2 on Dec. 6, 2024. Customs and Border Protection Officers noticed a non-factory compartment during secondary inspection and discovered 41 bundles hidden in the vehicle. Further inspection revealed that the bundles contained 40.5 kgs of 100% purity level methamphetamine.
Vega was arrested on Dec. 6, 2024. He pleaded guilty on Sept. 19, 2025, to all four counts of his indictment, which included conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, conspiracy to import methamphetamine, and importation of methamphetamine. U.S. District Judge Ernest Gonzalez presided over the case.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Duarte II and Nallely Duarte prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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Honduran Alien Sentenced After Pleading Guilty to Illegal Entry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – EZEQUIEL LARA-REYES (“LARA-REYES”), age 28, a native of Honduras, was sentenced on July 15, 2026 to time served by U.S District Judge Lance M. Africk after previously pleading guilty to illegal entry into the United States, and avoidance of examination and inspection by U.S. immigration officials, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1325(a), announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, in 2018, LARA-REYES, an illegal alien, failed to appear for his required immigration check-ins with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). On September 12, 2018, ICE determined that LARA-REYES had absconded from the Alternative-To-Detention program and, as such, was subject to Expedited Removal from the United States. On April 15, 2026, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers located LARA-REYES in a vehicle in Tangipahoa Parish. Officers attempted to arrest LARA-REYES, but the vehicle drove off, after which he eventually barricaded himself inside a trailer for over 13 hours. Immigration enforcement officers then acquired a criminal Complaint and Search Warrant and entered the trailer and arrested LARA-REYES.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Special Assistant United States Attorney Rick Veters, of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution.
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Homeland Security Task Force Investigation Results in the Sentencing of a Memphis Man to over 19 Years in Prison for Trafficking Narcotics While on Supervised Release for Trafficking NarcoticsRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Antonio Caldwell, aka “Joe”, 40, of Memphis, was sentenced to 235 months in prison for narcotics trafficking. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
U.S. Attorney Dunavant said, “Caldwell is a recidivist drug dealer who was brazenly distributing deadly fentanyl into our communities while on supervised release. Every minute of his 19-year sentence is well-deserved and will ensure better public safety for the citizens of Memphis and West Tennessee.”
According to information presented in court, in 2023 a multi-agency investigation began into a suspected drug trafficking organization. Investigators determined that Caldwell was obtaining and supplying large quantities of narcotics, including fentanyl and methamphetamine, to other redistributors in West Tennessee. Investigators further determined Caldwell was committing these acts while on supervised release for two prior federal narcotics convictions.
While on supervised release, Caldwell traveled to California and mailed a parcel containing fentanyl hidden in rice. Investigators were able to intercept the parcel and seize approximately three kilograms of fentanyl. Investigators further determined Caldwell maintained a drug distribution house located in the area of Hollywood and Pershing. Caldwell directed individuals to this location to obtain narcotics. In November of 2023, investigators executed a search warrant at the drug distribution house and recovered fentanyl, methamphetamine, and three firearms.
“Drug traffickers like Mr. Caldwell have no regard for the lives they destroy, and the broken families left in their wake,” said Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott, head of DEA’s Louisville Division. “As a result of his own actions, Mr. Caldwell will spend nearly two decades in prison, giving him an opportunity to reflect on the harm he has caused and hopefully come out a better man upon his release.”
In April of 2025, a federal grand jury indicted Caldwell and nine others: Michael Merritt, Darius Carter, Deandre Eubanks, Jimmy Gibson, Telly Hammond, Deandre Howard, Marc Pharr, Samuel Washington, and Rico Winston, for narcotics offenses. Merritt, Eubanks, Gibson, Hammond, Howard, and Winston have all pleaded guilty and are pending sentencing.
In December of 2025, Caldwell pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute narcotics, including fentanyl and methamphetamine, and distribution of narcotics. On July 9, 2026, Senior U.S. District Judge Samuel H. Mays, Jr. sentenced Caldwell to 235 months' incarceration to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Antonio Caldwell continued trafficking dangerous narcotics despite being on supervised release for a prior drug conviction, demonstrating a blatant disregard for the law,” said HSI Nashville Special Agent in Charge Dennis M. Fetting. “Working alongside our partners, HSI will continue to pursue those who profit from the distribution of dangerous drugs into our communities and hold them accountable.”
“Fighting drug crimes is a crucial mission, and the Sheriff’s Office remains steadfast in its commitment to safeguard our communities,” said SCSO Chief Deputy Anthony Buckner. “Our cooperation with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners has reaped huge rewards in this case. Getting narcotics traffickers such as Caldwell off the streets is a win for all the citizens of Shelby County.”
“Our agency, alongside our dedicated law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively pursue those who fuel this deadly epidemic by illegally distributing fentanyl and other dangerous narcotics,” said TBI Director David Rausch.
This operation was 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 Memphis comprises agents and officers from ATF, Bartlett Police Department, Collierville Police Department, DEA, FBI, Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, Germantown Police Department, HSI, ICE/ERO, IRS, Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office, Memphis Airport Police, Memphis Police Department, Shelby County Sherriff's Office, SMILE OIG, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Tipton County Sheriff’s Office, USMS, USPIS, USSS, West Tennessee 25th Judicial District Drug Task Force, West Tennessee Drug Task Force, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee.
Assistant United States Attorney Gregory Allen prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf.
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For more information, please contact the media relations team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Hoboken Accountant Charged with Preparing False Tax Returns for ClientsRead the Press Release
A grand jury returned an indictment yesterday charging accountant a tax preparer with preparing false tax returns for clients and obstructing the IRS.
According to the indictment, Demetreus Hargrove operated The Wright Star LLC, a tax preparation business he used to prepare and file 30 false individual and business tax returns for the years 2019 through 2023. As part of his scheme, Hargrove allegedly encouraged and helped his clients to form businesses in order to claim fabricated business expenses. He also allegedly recharacterized his clients’ personal expenses as deductible business expenses and frequently filed business tax returns with the IRS without having first reviewed them with his clients. According to the indictment, Hargrove also prepared and filed tax returns for clients reporting false business losses and fabricated bad debts, even though his clients did not provide him with this information.
Hargrove was charged with 30 counts of aiding or assisting the filing of false tax returns. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of filing false returns for clients. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties.
Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Likhitha Butchireddygari and Lyndi McVey of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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.
Gulfport Man Guilty of Travelling for the Purpose of Engaging in Illicit Sexual Conduct with MinorsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DUSTIN LEE SEITZ (“SEITZ”), age 40, of Gulfport, Mississippi, plead guilty today to travelling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2423(b), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to the bill of information, beginning on or about March 2, 2026, and culminating on or about March 4, 2026, SEITZ travelled by car from Gulfport, Mississippi, to Mandeville, Louisiana, for the purpose of engaging in sexual conduct with an individual that SEITZ believed to be a fifteen-year-old female.
SEITZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of thirty (30) years, at least five (5) years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. SEITZ may also be required to register as a sex offender.
U.S. District Judge Darrel James Papillion set SEITZ‘s sentencing for October 20, 2026.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Kathryn McHugh of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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Grand jury indicts Iola man for online threats that included blowing up White House and killing law enforcementRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 35-year-old man from a small town in Grimes County has been indicted for allegedly transmitting interstate threats via social media.
Peter James Bloomfield remains in custody following his arrest June 24. A federal grand jury has now returned the three-count indictment, and he will appear for his arraignment before a U.S. magistrate judge in Houston in the near future.
The charges allege authorities discovered a Texas-based X account with multiple threatening messages directed at federal law enforcement and others. The account allegedly made several posts about where the closest FBI building was, killing federal agents and others, spending money to blow up the White House, and negative comments about America. Bloomfield is linked to that account, according to the indictment.
Law enforcement also allegedly identified a Facebook account in Bloomfield’s name that used the same profile image as the X account which posted additional threats against federal agents and notable figures. The indictment further alleges the Facebook account included comments about making a hit list that included President Trump during a Fox News broadcast of a recent Senate floor hearing.
A federal search warrant of Bloomfield’s residence allegedly resulted in the discovery of over 20 firearms and a significant amount of ammunition.
If convicted, Bloomfield faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine per count.
The FBI - Bryan Resident Agency conducted the investigation with the assistance of Texas Department of Public Safety; Houston County, Alabama, Sheriff’s Office; Secret Service; and Grimes County Constable’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Ganz 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.
Goshen Man Sentenced to 63 Months in Prison for Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND –Luis Garcia, 25 years old, of Goshen, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to possession of a machinegun and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Garcia was sentenced to 63 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
“The Defendant will serve over five years in prison after he flashed a machine gun at another person inside a bar. Security removed him from the premises and took away his gun, which had a 30-round extended magazine loaded with 24 rounds plus a round chambered. It also had a Glock switch attached, which allowed the gun to fire in rapid succession, in fully automatic. Garcia escaped the grip of the guards and ran away before police arrived. Sometime later, police pulled over a car where Garcia was a passenger and found him in possession of yet another firearm and cocaine. Garcia had a felony conviction for unlawful carrying of a handgun, and he was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm. Thanks to the combined efforts of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Goshen Police Department and the support of the Elkhart County Prosecutor’s Office led by Vicki Becker, the Defendant was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Katelan McKenzie Doyle and Joel Gabrielse. Our community is safer with him off the streets,” said U.S. Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Goshen Police Department and the Elkhart County Prosecutor’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Katelan McKenzie Doyle and Joel Gabrielse.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Indianapolis comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, DEA, ATF, IRS, Indiana State Police, and other partners, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana.
Gladstone Man charged with Attempted Sex Trafficking of a MinorRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, MO. – Scott R. Smith, 35, of Gladstone, Mo., was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court today. Smith had his initial appearance this afternoon.
The federal complaint charges Smith with one count of Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Minor. According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Smith, over the course of four days, engaged in online communications with an undercover law enforcement officer who was posing online as a 15-year-old minor. During his communications with the person he believed to be a minor, Smith arranged to meet the purported minor to engage in sexual conduct in exchange for $200.00 and asked the purported minor to send him sexually graphic images. Smith was later arrested on July 13, 2026, after he arrived at a hotel where he had arranged to meet the minor to engage in sexual conduct.
The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Luna. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Four-Time Deported Mexican National Sentenced to 37 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal Reentry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Miguel Reyes Estrada (43, Mexico) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jordan E. Pratt to 37 months in federal prison for illegal reentry by a previously removed alien. Estrada pleaded guilty on March 16, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, in 2021, after being deported three times, Estrada reentered the United States and was convicted of state drug trafficking and money laundering offenses. In 2022, Estrada was convicted in the Southern District of Florida for illegal reentry and was subsequently removed to Mexico in May 2023.
On January 19, 2026, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office notified U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that Estrada was back in the United States and in custody on an unrelated charge. Estrada was subsequently indicted for illegal reentry by a previously removed alien.
This case was investigated by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard L. Lasseter.
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.
Former Ship Captain Pleads Guilty to the Drugging and Sexual Assault at Sea of Merchant Marine Academy Student CadetRead the Press Release
Today, in federal court in Brooklyn, John Merrone pleaded guilty to all five counts of an indictment charging him with aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse, and abusive sexual contact relating to the rape of a 21-year-old United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) student cadet (Jane Doe) working on a vessel under the command of the defendant. Merrone pleaded guilty after a jury was selected yesterday. The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Ramon E. Reyes. When sentenced, Merrone faces up to life in prison.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the guilty plea.
“The defendant today admitted abusing his authority as a ship captain to carry out a heinous sexual assault on a young woman, who was under his supervision, as she embarked on a career as a mariner,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “It is my hope that today’s guilty plea will give the survivor of this attack some measure of closure knowing that the defendant has been held accountable for his despicable conduct.”
Mr. Nocella also expressed his appreciation to the United States Coast Guard for its investigative work on the case.
“Former Captain John Merrone grossly violated his authority by drugging and raping a U.S. Merchant Marine cadet training aboard his ship. The FBI is dedicated to holding accountable those in trusted roles from heinously abusing the brave servicemembers protecting this country,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.
In September 2019, Jane Doe was aboard a commercial vessel as part of her participation in the USMMA Sea Year Program where cadets study to be midshipmen and are assigned to a U.S.-flagged merchant vessel to obtain experience being a merchant mariner. The vessel was in the Atlantic Ocean bound for Corpus Christi, Texas. Merrone, then 47 years-old, was the highest-ranking official on the vessel. On September 9, 2019, Merrone summoned Jane Doe and another female cadet to his stateroom for a soda and poured each of them an alcoholic drink from an open bottle. Shortly after consuming the drinks, Jane Doe and the fellow student lost recollection of the remainder of the evening. Jane Doe awoke the next morning in her bed wearing only a shirt and bra, and no underwear or pants. She felt nauseous, had a headache and felt like someone had had sex with her. The next day, Merrone called Jane Doe to his stateroom and said that he had “fun last night” and asked her to do it again. Jane Doe told him that she did not recall what had happened, and Merrone told her “one thing led to another.” Jane Doe reported the sexual assault to her mother and a friend when she returned to the United States, and sought medical attention. She reported the attack to law enforcement in 2021. At his guilty plea, the defendant admitted that he knowingly gave Jane Doe an intoxicant without her knowledge or consent, and she became incapacitated. He then had sex with her without her consent.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Human Trafficking and Civil Rights Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Kayla Bensing and Rachel Bennek are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Emily Woodruff.
The Defendant:JOHN MERRONE
Age: 54
Hohenwald, TennesseeE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-171 (RER)
Former Department of Education Employee Agrees to Pay More Than $160,000 to Resolve False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced, today, a former U.S. Department of Education employee agreed to pay a settlement in connection with federal False Claims Act violation allegations.
Natayah Adams, 44, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, agreed to pay the United States $161,248.30 to resolve allegations that she submitted false claims to obtain three Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans.
U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes announced the settlement with Special Agent in Charge Jamila Davis, U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General Eastern Regional Office (ED-OIG).
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act — a federal law enacted in March 2020 — provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. It gives financial assistance including forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and other expenses. Established by the CARES Act, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) — administered through the Small Business Administration (SBA) — along with the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), helped businesses meet their financial obligations.
In 2021, Adams submitted applications for three PPP loans in less than three months, each with a different lender. In total, Adams received $62,499.32 in PPP loans. The United States contends that in her loan applications, Adams knowingly made material misrepresentations. Among other things, Adams falsely claimed that her business — in which Adams resold jewelry purchased from another company on Etsy — brought in a gross income of $100,000.00. But Adams knew, the gross income of the business was less than $100,000.00. Additionally, Adams did not use the loans for the approved purposes listed on her applications. Instead, she diverted the money for personal use and to put toward a separate business.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended ED-OIG for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Shea who handled this case.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
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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Former Adviser to Federal Reserve Board of Governors Sentenced to Federal Prison TermRead the Press Release
Note: the release has been updated to include a quote from the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division.
John Harold Rogers, 64, a former senior adviser for the Federal Reserve Board of Governors (FRB), was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 38 months in federal prison in connection with making false statements to federal investigators about sharing restricted Federal Reserve information with Chinese intelligence operatives.
“The United States entrusted Rogers with its most sensitive economic data,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “He violated that sacred trust and lied repeatedly to conceal his collaboration with individuals in China with ties to the Chinese Communist Party, exposing his own country, the United States, to counterintelligence risks.”
“John Rogers spent years secretly funneling sensitive Federal Reserve information to Chinese spies, then looked investigators in the eye and lied about it. And when that wasn’t enough, he lied again under oath at trial,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro for the District of Columbia. “Federal Reserve employees entrusted with America’s most sensitive economic information cannot sell out their country and their colleagues for personal gain and then expect to hide behind a single word.”
“When Rogers made the decision to share sensitive economic information from the Federal Reserve and give it to China’s intelligence service for personal gain, he betrayed both his country and his oath as a federal employee,” said Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “As this case makes clear, the Chinese Communist Party is employing increasingly aggressive tactics in its campaign to gain a strategic economic advantage over the U.S. by targeting our financial policies, trade secrets, and innovation. However, this sentencing underscores the FBI’s unwavering commitment to pursuing anyone who threatens our economic and national security and bringing them to justice.”
“John Rogers deliberately lied to our investigators to conceal the fact he shared restricted non-public Federal Reserve information with intelligence agents working for China,” said Michael E. Horowitz, Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. “Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that those who mislead and obstruct federal agents will be brought to justice. I commend the U.S. Attorney’s Office, our agents, and our federal law enforcement partners for their hard work and persistence, which led to this result.”
“While holding a position of trust, Rogers repeatedly violated Federal Reserve information security policies by taking sensitive, nonpublic information and sending it to himself, while he was in China, and to others affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel Wierzbicki of the Washington Field Office's Counterintelligence and Cyber Division. “Rogers then lied to federal agents about these disclosures. His sentencing underscores the shared commitment of the FBI and the Federal Reserve Board Office of Inspector General to pursue anyone who endangers U.S. economic and national security by passing confidential information to an adversarial government.”
A federal jury deliberated for two days before finding Rogers guilty on February 3 of making false statements to government investigators at the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
In addition to the 38-month prison sentence, Judge Dabney Friedrich ordered Rogers to serve 12 months of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 60-month prison term.
Rogers, of Vienna, Virginia, is a U.S. citizen who holds a Ph.D. in economics.
According to court papers, Rogers served for decades as a Senior Advisor at the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, where he had access to restricted, nonpublic information about monetary policy and the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC). From 2010 until 2021, Rogers worked as a senior adviser in FRB’s Division of International Finance where he was entrusted with confidential FRB information.
Beginning in 2017, Rogers developed a clandestine relationship with Hummin Lee, a Chinese intelligence operative, whom he met at a conference in China. Over the following years, Rogers met Lee and associates in hotel rooms in China under the guise of teaching academic “classes,” using the sessions to convey Federal Reserve information that Lee had specifically tasked him to collect.
Rogers printed restricted documents to bring on a trip to China, stripped classification markings from materials before emailing them to his personal account, and forwarded sensitive information to a professor at Fudan University, a Chinese state-run institution, days before meeting Lee. Rogers understood that Lee was writing reports for the Chinese government using the information he provided, and knew China could use advance knowledge of Federal Reserve interest rate decisions to generate enormous profits trading its roughly $1.5 trillion in U.S. Treasury securities.
In exchange, Rogers received help with his new wife, university professorships, and substantial financial benefits from Lee and Chinese universities. He told investigators he “owed everything” to Hummin Lee.
On Feb. 4, 2020, Rogers agreed to be interviewed by investigators from the Federal Reserve’s Office of Inspector General. When asked directly whether he had ever shared restricted Federal Reserve information outside the Board, he answered: “Never.”
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office and the Federal Reserve Board Office of Inspector General.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Barry and Jocelyn Ballantine, Trial Attorneys Nicholas O. Hunter and Yifei Zheng of the National Security Division, and Paralegal Specialist Derra McQuaig of the National Security Division.
Former Adviser to Federal Reserve Board of Governors Sentenced to Federal Prison TermRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – John Harold Rogers, 64, a former senior adviser for the Federal Reserve Board of Governors (FRB), was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 38 months in federal prison in connection with making false statements to federal investigators about sharing restricted Federal Reserve information with Chinese intelligence operatives, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“John Rogers spent years secretly funneling sensitive Federal Reserve information to Chinese spies, then looked investigators in the eye and lied about it. And when that wasn’t enough, he lied again under oath at trial,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Federal Reserve employees entrusted with America’s most sensitive economic information cannot sell out their country and their colleagues for personal gain and then expect to hide behind a single word.”
A federal jury deliberated for two days before finding Rogers guilty on February 3 of making false statements to government investigators at the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
In addition to the 38-month prison sentence, Judge Dabney Friedrich ordered Rogers to serve 12 months of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 60-month prison term.
“John Rogers deliberately lied to our investigators to conceal the fact he shared restricted non-public Federal Reserve information with intelligence agents working for China,” said Michael E. Horowitz, Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. “Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that those who mislead and obstruct federal agents will be brought to justice. I commend the U.S. Attorney’s Office, our agents, and our federal law enforcement partners for their hard work and persistence, which led to this result.”
“While holding a position of trust, Rogers repeatedly violated Federal Reserve information security policies by taking sensitive, nonpublic information and sending it to himself, while he was in China, and to others affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel Wierzbicki of the Washington Field Office's Counterintelligence and Cyber Division. “Rogers then lied to federal agents about these disclosures. His sentencing underscores the shared commitment of the FBI and the Federal Reserve Board Office of Inspector General to pursue anyone who endangers U.S. economic and national security by passing confidential information to an adversarial government.”
Rogers, of Vienna, Virginia, is a U.S. citizen who holds a Ph.D. in economics.
According to court papers, Rogers served for decades as a Senior Advisor at the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, where he had access to restricted, nonpublic information about monetary policy and the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC). From 2010 until 2021, Rogers worked as a senior adviser in FRB’s Division of International Finance where he was entrusted with confidential FRB information.
Beginning in 2017, Rogers developed a clandestine relationship with Hummin Lee, a Chinese intelligence operative, whom he met at a conference in China. Over the following years, Rogers met Lee and associates in hotel rooms in China under the guise of teaching academic “classes,” using the sessions to convey Federal Reserve information that Lee had specifically tasked him to collect.
Rogers printed restricted documents to bring on a trip to China, stripped classification markings from materials before emailing them to his personal account, and forwarded sensitive information to a professor at Fudan University, a Chinese state-run institution, days before meeting Lee. Rogers understood that Lee was writing reports for the Chinese government using the information he provided, and knew China could use advance knowledge of Federal Reserve interest rate decisions to generate enormous profits trading its roughly $1.5 trillion in U.S. Treasury securities.
In exchange, Rogers received help with his new wife, university professorships, and substantial financial benefits from Lee and Chinese universities. He told investigators he “owed everything” to Hummin Lee.
On Feb. 4, 2020, Rogers agreed to be interviewed by investigators from the Federal Reserve’s Office of Inspector General. When asked directly whether he had ever shared restricted Federal Reserve information outside the Board, he answered: “Never.”
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office and the Federal Reserve Board Office of Inspector General.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Barry and Jocelyn Ballantine, Trial Attorneys Nicholas O. Hunter and Yifei Zheng of the National Security Division, and Paralegal Specialist Derra McQuaig of the National Security Division.
25cr33
Florida Man Admits to Strangling Military Spouse on Two Occasions and Lying to FBIRead the Press Release
A Florida man pleaded guilty today to charges related to two incidents where he strangled his wife, lying to the FBI about the events, and lying about a prior arrest for a domestic violence battery in 2020.
According to court documents, Antonio Jabar Floyd Jr., 38, strangled his active-duty military wife on two occasions, once in 2025 and once in 2026, while he was living with her overseas in Misawa, Japan. In January 2025, while in the home of a mutual friend where children, including his own, were present, Floyd Jr. became enraged at his wife and began strangling her so hard that his hand shook, telling her “see how easy I can control you.” The friend attempted to intervene but was unable to pull Floyd Jr.’s hand from his wife’s neck. On another occasion in April 2026, Floyd Jr. strangled his wife in the family home and in the presence of their minor children. He became enraged upon reading her personal emails, told her she was “lucky I didn’t kill you” and told her that he would not leave her even if she served him with divorce papers.
In consensual meetings with investigating FBI agents, Floyd Jr. made several false statements including denying that he strangled his wife, that he had never engaged in physical violence against her, and that he had never been arrested for battery or assault. Court records show that Floyd was arrested in Pensacola, Florida, on Oct. 22, 2020, for first degree battery on his wife for reportedly grabbing her by the throat and slamming her into a hallway wall.
Floyd Jr. pleaded guilty to two counts of domestic violence (strangulation) and one count of making false statements to a federal agency. He will be sentenced on Oct. 15 and faces a statutory maximum penalty of five years in prison on each count and mandatory domestic violence counseling. A judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
FBI Los Angeles investigated this case with support from Air Force Office of Special Investigations.
Senior Trial Attorney Danielle Hickman of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Goldberg for the Northern District of Florida are prosecuting this case.
Five Quad City Individual Sentenced to Federal Prison for Fentanyl ChargesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – Five Quad City individuals were sentenced to federal prison for charges related to their conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, specifically counterfeit pills containing fentanyl.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, between April 2022 and March 2024, five individuals conspired together to distribute fentanyl across the Quad Cities area. In total, more than 26,000 pills containing fentanyl were attributed to the drug trafficking organization.
- Kendrick Eugene Lee, Jr., 25, was sentenced to a 292-month prison term, followed by a five-year term of supervised release on May 26, 2026, following his guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing fentanyl.
- Juwan Dupri Crawford, 26, was sentenced to a 144-month prison term, followed by a five-year term of supervised release on May 27, 2026, following his guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
- Dreyko Ryan Paul Veronie, 24, was sentenced to a 312-month prison term, followed by a five-year term of supervised release on May 27, 2026, following his guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
- Kisha Renee Rockwood, 42, was sentenced to a 216-month prison term, followed by a five-year term of supervised release on July 14, 2026, following her guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
- Kee Syonne Arthur Edgar Rockwood-Brown, 23, was sentenced to a 300-month prison term, followed by a seven-year term of supervised release, on July 14, 2026, following his guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Davenport Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigated the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Five Men Sentenced to Total of 518 Months’ Imprisonment for Role in Large-Scale Drug Trafficking in Wadena CountyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced today that five defendants were collectively sentenced to over 500 months of imprisonment for their roles in a large-scale drug trafficking case out of Wadena County.
The following individuals were sentenced:
- Robert Joseph Anderson, 40, of Wadena, Minnesota, 132 months for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine
- Aaron Thomas Heifort, 30, of Clitherall, Minnesota, 122 months for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine
- Bill J. Rude, 63, of Wadena, Minnesota, 120 months for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine
- Carlos Deyvi Valdovinos‑Trejo, 39, 84 months for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine
- Jesus Alarcon Valdovinos, 44, 60 months for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine
On July 9, 2026, Aaron Heifort, the final of five these defendants, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John R. Tunheim in Minneapolis.
According to court documents, beginning in or about December 2023, and continuing through in or about February 2024, Valdovinos‑Trejo, Valdovinos, Anderson, Heifort, and Rude knowingly and intentionally conspired with one another and others to possess with the intent to distribute and distribute large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine in Minnesota.
On November 10, 2023, law enforcement responded to a death at a residence in Wadena County, Minnesota that was caused by a methamphetamine and fentanyl overdose. Investigators identified Rude as one of the decedent’s methamphetamine suppliers. Through further investigation, law enforcement successfully uncovered the broader distribution network. Anderson, a prominent regional distributor in the Wadena area, procured bulk quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine from Valdovinos-Trejo and Valdovinos, which he in turn sold to downstream distributors in Greater Minnesota, including Heifort and Rude.
Between December 2023 and January 2024, law enforcement seized more than 2.6 kilograms of methamphetamine and 29 grams of cocaine from the Wadena-based members of the conspiracy, including Rude, Heifort, and Anderson. In January 2024, law enforcement conducted two separate controlled buys from Valdovinos-Trejo, resulting in the seizure of an additional 1.35 kilograms of methamphetamine. On February 6, 2024, law enforcement conducted a third controlled buy from both Mr. Valdovinos-Trejo and Carlos Valdovinos for 2.3 kilograms of methamphetamine. That same day, law enforcement searched two residences associated with the trafficking conspiracy and seized an additional 5.2 kilograms of methamphetamine, 1.1 kilograms of heroin, and 1.3 kilograms of cocaine.
“Methamphetamine and fentanyl continue to destroy countless lives and communities throughout Greater Minnesota. The sentencing of these five individuals demonstrates the strong partnership across federal and local law enforcement to hold accountable those who distribute dangerous drugs into our communities,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
“Aaron Heifort and his methamphetamine-trafficking conspirators face a combined 43 years in federal prison for the significant amount of poison they brought into and distributed around our Minnesota communities,” DEA Omaha Field Division Special Agent in Charge Dustin Gillespie said. “As a result of their actions, an individual lost their life. It’s an unfortunate tragedy seen all too frequently across the state, region and country. Drug traffickers like Heifort line their pocket with proceeds turning a blind eye to the lives lost and families left behind.”
“This case reflects a strong partnership between the Wadena County Sheriff’s Office and our local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and our shared commitment to holding drug traffickers accountable. We remain committed to pursuing those who distribute dangerous drugs in our communities and seeking justice for the victims and their families,” said Wadena County Sheriff Michael D. Carr.
“What started out as a local drug related overdose death, resulted in the federal indictments and convictions of several people. The investigation by deputies of the West Central Minnesota Violent Crime and Drug Task Force discovered a large-scale drug trafficking ring. This case outlines the importance of multi-jurisdictional task forces and relationships with state and federal partners and its impact on public safety,” said Otter Tail County Minnesota Sheriff Barry Fitzgibbons.
“Drug trafficking doesn’t stop at city or county lines,” said Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans. “Cases like this demonstrate why strong partnerships across Minnesota are so important. By working together and following the evidence wherever it leads, law enforcement agencies can better disrupt the networks bringing dangerous drugs into our communities.”
“The Minnesota State Patrol remains committed to supporting our law enforcement partners by contributing our unique capabilities and resources to initiatives that enhance public safety. While each agency plays a distinct role, our shared commitment to cooperation, information sharing, and coordinated enforcement allows us to remain steadfast in our collective mission to protect the communities we serve,” said Minnesota State Patrol Colonel Christina Bogojevic.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Wadena County Sheriff’s Office, Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office, West Central Drug Task Force, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Minnesota State Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, and other federal and local law enforcement partners.
United States Assistant Attorney Garrett S. Fields prosecuted the case.
Federal Correctional Officer Charged with Sexual Abuse of an Inmate at FCI OtisvilleRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), James C. Barnacle, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (“DOJ OIG”), Ryan T. Geach, and Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (“BOP”), William K. Marshall III, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging KYLE BROWN, a former federal correctional officer with the BOP, with three counts of sexual abuse of a ward for engaging in sexual acts with an inmate he was responsible for guarding. BROWN was arrested this morning and presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Victoria Reznik. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Philip M. Halpern.
“Sexual abuse will be met with federal charges throughout our society; it has no place anywhere and victims deserve protection everywhere,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “When a correctional officer abuses their power and harms an inmate, it is not only a violation of federal law—it is a betrayal of the trust that New York families place in our institutions. We will continue to protect victims, pursue the truth, and hold accountable anyone who abuses their power for their own sexual gratification.”
“As alleged, Kyle Brown abused his authority to engage in sexual acts with an inmate under his protection,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “The FBI is committed to holding corrupt civil servants accountable.”
“The safety and security of federal prisons are of the utmost importance, and the DOJ OIG vigorously investigates allegations of abuse of inmates by Federal Bureau of Prisons staff to ensure that those who break the law and the public’s trust are held accountable,” said DOJ OIG Special Agent in Charge Ryan T. Geach.
“The allegations in the case represent a profound abuse of authority and a betrayal of public trust,” said BOP Director William K. Marshall III. “Anyone who exploits their position of authority disgraces this profession and has no place in the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Working alongside our law enforcement partners, we will pursue anyone who violates the law and ensure they are held accountable.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment and other public filings:
Between in or about 2024 and on or about July 1, 2026, BROWN was employed as a federal correctional officer at Federal Correctional Institution, Otisville (“FCI Otisville”). On three occasions between December 26, 2025, and April 4, 2026, BROWN engaged in anal and/or oral sex with an inmate who was incarcerated at FCI Otisville and over whom BROWN had authority.
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BROWN, 27, of Newburgh, New York, is charged with three counts of sexual abuse of a ward, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and DOJ OIG, as well as the FBI Hudson Valley White Collar Crime Task Force and Otisville FCI Special Investigative Swift Response.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights and Human Trafficking Unit in the Criminal Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Morel and Madison Reddick Smyser are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Federal Agent Sentenced to 84 Months’ Imprisonment for Role in the Production of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced today that Timothy Ryan Gregg, 53, of Eagan, Minnesota, has been sentenced to 84 months’ imprisonment for his role in transporting and producing visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
According to court documents, Gregg admitted to knowingly producing child pornography that depicted Gregg engaging in sexually explicit conduct with a minor. At the time of his conduct, Gregg was a Special Agent with Homeland Security Investigations based in Minnesota and served as a Task Force Officer with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
“My office will always pursue these cases with unwavering resolve. Protecting children is one of our highest priorities, and we will hold accountable anyone who exploits them. This case reflects a critical mission across federal and local law enforcement. The United States Attorney’s Office remains committed in our duty to protect children and will aggressively investigate and prosecute those who violate that trust,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
“No badge, title or position places anyone above the law. The conduct in this case is appalling and wholly inconsistent with the values of ICE and Homeland Security Investigations,” said ICE Director David J. Venturella. “We have zero tolerance for crimes against children, and anyone who commits these offenses will be held fully accountable. ICE remains steadfast in its mission to protect children, support victims and pursue those who seek to exploit the most vulnerable.”
“This defendant knew better than almost anyone that what he was doing was illegal and wrong, yet he chose to do it anyhow,” said FBI Minneapolis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson. “The sexual exploitation of children in any context is reprehensible. This defendant’s crimes while employed as a law enforcement officer are doubly disgraceful. We hope this sentence provides some sense of justice and safety for the victim and their family. This sentence should also serve as a warning to others who think they might get away with sexually exploiting a minor—regardless of who you are or the position you hold, the FBI will always take swift action to protect children and hold offenders accountable.”
“Protecting children and vulnerable members of our Rochester community is among our highest priorities,” said Rochester Police Department Chief Jim Franklin. “The Rochester Police Department takes these crimes extremely seriously, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to dedicating the resources necessary to identify, investigate, and hold accountable those who prey upon the most vulnerable. This case also demonstrates the critical importance of strong partnerships with our federal law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. We are grateful for their vigilance, professionalism, and shared commitment to protecting our community and ensuring justice is served.”
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Rochester Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney LeeAnn Bell prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by 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 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.justice.gov/psc.
Note: The previous press release detailing the case is available here.