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10 July 2026
Homeland Security Task Force shuts down Mexican cocaine smuggling operation leading to 15 prison sentencesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – The last of 15 defendants was sentenced to prison after a Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) investigation dismantled a Kansas City metro-based drug trafficking ring linked to Mexico.
In December 2019, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) launched an investigation into a drug trafficking ring headed by Santiago Gamboa-Saenz. Gamboa-Saenz, 39, is an illegal alien from Chihuahua, Mexico. His network of traffickers smuggled cocaine from Mexico into the United States, which was then transported and distributed in Kansas City, Kansas, Kansas City, Missouri, Saint Louis, Chicago, the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, and Indiana.
Through investigation, agents tied the criminal network to houses on West 98th Street in Overland Park and South Montebello in Olathe. They also determined a mechanic shop on Kaw Drive in Kansas City, Kansas, was being used to outfit vehicles with hidden compartments to transport drugs and drug money.
Search warrants executed at these locations and others resulted in the seizure of over $733,000 and over 18.0 net kilograms of cocaine. Vehicle stops led to the discovery of hidden compartments with $533,780 in cash, more than 12.0 net kilograms of cocaine, drug paraphernalia, and many drug ledgers. The drug ledgers alone document drug proceeds from cocaine sales in the amount of $48,783,269. The drug trafficking organization sold cocaine to its customers for $29,000 to $36,000 per kilogram.
“What may look like legitimate businesses from the outside can sometimes be criminal operations. These smugglers used a mechanic shop as a front in attempt to fly under the radar of law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “They used the space to custom outfit vehicles with hidden compartments allowing them to move large amounts of illegal narcotics and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash at a time.”
“This operation demonstrates to Americans the vast reach of drug trafficking organizations within the Midwest, but more importantly, puts on display the impressive capabilities of combined law enforcement efforts,” DEA St. Louis Field Division Special Agent in Charge Steven Hofer said. “Cartel members and affiliates are not welcome here. The DEA and our many partners will not slow down or be deterred as we work toward dismantling the drug trafficking organizations terrorizing our communities.”
“Let this case serve as a warning: Homeland Security Investigations and our task force partners will relentlessly pursue and dismantle any criminal organization that dares to smuggle drugs, money, or violence into our communities,” said Homeland Security Investigations Kansas City Acting Special Agent in Charge Rick Sabatini. “We will not tolerate cartel operations in Kansas City or anywhere in the Midwest. Our agents are committed to rooting out traffickers, seizing their profits, and ensuring they face justice. The message is clear—if you threaten the safety of American families, HSI will find you, shut you down, and put you behind bars.”
Santiago Gamboa-Saenz pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine. He was sentenced to 276 months imprisonment.
Other defendants received the following prison sentences:
- Frank Gallo De La Cruz, 41, an illegal alien from Mexico, 108 months
- Dimas Simoes Calixto-Filho, 46, an illegal alien from Brazil, 108 months
- Efrain Garcia-Perez, 42, an illegal alien from Mexico, 104 months
- Juan Alvarez-Perez, 40, an illegal alien from Mexico, 96 months
- Bryan Eduardo Dominguez-Green, 24, an illegal alien from Mexico, 71 months
- Miguel Angel Vasquez-Rodriguez, 37, an illegal alien from Mexico, 64 months
- Maria Ileana Cota, 37, of Henderson, Colorado, 48 months
- Eduardo Ramirez-Ochoa, 36, a dual citizen of the United States and Mexico residing in Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, 46 months
- Jaime De Jesus Ocampo, 62, of Kansas City, Kansas, 24 months
- Irlanda Areyim Grajeda, 37, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, 22 months
- Jesus Gonzalez-Rodriguez, 41, an illegal alien from Mexico, 21 months
- Homero Baca-Marquez, 28, an illegal alien from Mexico, 21 months
- Jose Cera-Acosta, 40, of Kansas City, Kansas, 17 months
- Vladimir Blanco-Garciga, 54, a Cuban national residing in Riverside, Missouri, 4 months
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Zabel and Taylor Hines prosecuted the case.
This operation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Kansas City comprises agents and officers from FBI; HSI; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas.
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Hartford Man Charged with Gun Possession and Fentanyl Distribution OffensesRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the FBI, and Hartford Police Chief James C. Rovella today announced that a federal grand jury in Hartford has returned an indictment charging KIJUAN TERRELL, 40, of Hartford, with firearm possession and fentanyl distribution offenses.
The indictment alleges that, on March 11, 2026, Terrell possessed a Smith & Wesson .38 Special revolver with an obliterated serial number, and fentanyl that he intended to distribute.
It is alleged that Terrell’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for criminal possession of a firearm, possession of narcotics, and escape. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
The indictment, which was returned on May 13, 2026, charges Terrell with unlawful possession of a firearm by felon, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years; possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years; and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Terrell has been detained since his arrest. He appeared yesterday in Hartford federal court and pleaded not guilty to the charges in the indictment.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the Hartford Police Department and the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, which includes members from the Connecticut State Police, the Connecticut Department of Correction, and the East Hartford, Hartford, New Britain, West Hartford, Wethersfield, and Newington Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Dearington.
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.
Glenn County Man Sentenced to Nearly 20 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Manuel Ruben Perez, 40, of Orland, was sentenced on Thursday by U.S. District Court Judge Troy L. Nunley to 19 years and 10 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, between April and July 2018, Perez worked with others to sell methamphetamine and heroin in and around Orland. During this time, Perez sourced methamphetamine from Southern California and sold it in Northern California. Over the course of the investigation, he executed at least six drug deals with a confidential informant, selling multiple kilograms of methamphetamine in total. During these transactions, Perez also sold the informant heroin when he could obtain it. Perez negotiated the prices for each deal and often had others deliver the drugs and collect the money on his behalf. The investigation uncovered that Perez sold to multiple buyers across Northern California.
On Jan. 29, 2026, Perez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office, the Lassen County District Attorney’s Office, the Susanville Police Department, and the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Conolly prosecuted the case.
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 Sacramento is composed of agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Northern California High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California.
Genesee Valley Club agrees to pay $1.05 million to resolve False Claims Act allegationsRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that the Genesee Valley Club has agreed to pay $1,050,000 to resolve allegations that it improperly obtained a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), which it was not eligible to receive. This action is part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
The PPP loan program, enacted in March 2020, provided emergency financial assistance to small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program allowed eligible small businesses to receive loans guaranteed by the federal government. Private clubs that limited memberships for any reason other than capacity, or restrict patronage for any reason other than capacity, were not eligible for PPP loans.
In May 2021, Genesee Valley Club applied for a PPP loan and certified that it was eligible to receive the loan. After receiving the PPP loan, Genesee Valley Club sought and received forgiveness of the entire loan amount. The United States contends that Genesee Valley Club falsely represented its eligibility to receive the PPP loan because it operated as a private club that restricted membership for reasons other than capacity.
“The Paycheck Protection Program was designed to support small business during the COVID-19 Pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney DiGiacomo. “As evidenced by the numerous settlements we have obtained involving PPP loans, this office continues to work tirelessly to recover taxpayer dollars that were improperly obtained by ineligible entities.”
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.
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan W. Ferris and Investigator Margaret McFarland.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination or admission of liability.
GVC settlementGainesville Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Gainesville, Florida – Robert Lee Johnson, III, 39, of Gainesville, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to two counts of production of child pornography. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This defendant preyed upon and sexually exploited a minor child, but thanks to the excellent investigative work by our state and federal law enforcement partners and the aggressive prosecution by my office he is on his way to federal prison. Keeping disgusting predators, like this defendant, locked away is key to keeping our kids safe.”
Court documents reflect that the defendant met the minor victim in 2020, when the victim was 14 and the defendant was 33. The defendant recorded sexual acts with the minor victim and then threatened to post the videos of the victim online. A search warrant revealed the defendant’s phone contained the sexually explicit videos of his exploitation of the minor victim.
For each count, Johnson faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years’ imprisonment, and up to 30 years imprisonment. Johnson will be required to register as a sex offender.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 1, 2026, at 11:30 am, at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville, Florida before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christie Utt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Four Men Sentenced for Bringing over 70 kilograms of Marijuana to St. ThomasRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – U.S. Attorney Adam F. Sleeper announced today that James King, Masaca Creque, Dwayne Blash, and Harry Davis were sentenced this week for their roles in bringing a large amount of marijuana to St. Thomas in their checked suitcases through the Cyril E. King airport.
On July 8, 2026, Chief U.S. District Court Judge Robert A. Molloy sentenced James King, 46, of St. Thomas, to 18 months imprisonment and three years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
The same day, Judge Molloy sentenced Masaca Creque, 41, of St. Thomas, to 37 months incarceration with 3 years of supervised release for conspiring to possess and possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
On July 9, 2026, Chief U.S. District Court Judge Robert A. Molloy sentenced Dwyane Blash, 42, of St. Thomas, to 15 months imprisonment and three years of supervised release for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute marijuana.
The same day, Judge Molloy sentenced Harry Daivs, 29, of Atlanta, GA, to 22 months incarceration with 3 years of supervised release for conspiring to possess and possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
According to court documents, on November 27, 2025, King, Creque, Blash and Davis arrived at the Cyril E. King Airport in St. Thomas after arriving on a flight from San Franciso, CA. A routine search of passenger luggage revealed what law enforcement believed to be narcotics within several suitcases. The four men were identified as owners of the luggage and escorted to the Customs and Border Protection offices for further inspection. Once searched, officers found over 70 kilograms of marijuana in the group’s checked suitcases.
This case was investigated jointly by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, and Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Cherrisse Amaro, Erik Tate and Criminal Chief Kyle Payne.Former nurse loses license after forging prescriptions for Percocet and Oxycodone using coworker’s padRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Missouri woman’s crimes to get illegal access to prescription narcotics resulted in the loss of her nursing license and gained her a lifetime ban from working at any hospital that receives federal funding.
According to court documents, Brooke Haller, 41, of Kansas City, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a controlled substance by deception and subterfuge.
Haller previously worked as a registered nurse at a hospital in Kansas City, Kansas. She used her position to gain access to a nurse practitioner’s prescription pad and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) number. In March 2024, Haller began to use this information to write forged prescriptions for herself using the names of her relatives for Percocet and Oxycodone, which she filled and paid for at pharmacies in Kansas and Missouri.
An investigation was initiated in October 2024, after a pharmacy called the hospital to inquire about an Oxycodone prescription allegedly written by a nurse practitioner. The nurse practitioner advised she only writes electronic prescriptions. The victim indicated she had never spoken to Haller nor had she given Haller her prescription pad and DEA number.
When Haller realized her scheme was falling apart, she tried to cover up her crimes. She called the hospital several times pretending to be from the pharmacy indicating the pharmacy staff questioned the validity of the prescription by mistake. Haller spoofed the pharmacy’s phone number and used several vocal disguises, including pretending to be “Peter”, but the hospital staff recognized her voice.
Haller later admitted to DEA investigators that she fraudulently wrote 13 prescriptions. She obtained 90 Percocet tablets and 540 Oxycodone tablets from a pharmacy in Kansas and 1,350 Oxycodone tablets from a Missouri pharmacy.
U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser said, “While this was a unique case, unfortunately, cases involving health care workers gaining unauthorized access to prescription narcotics are becoming more common. These professionals spent years studying and building their careers just to throw it all away, usually because of addiction. Health care professionals facing addiction need to seek help before it’s too late. Otherwise, we must make sure they are stopped for the safety of the patients they serve.”
“The diversion of pharmaceutical drugs is not a victimless crime,” DEA St. Louis Field Division Special Agent in Charge Steven Hofer said. “Brooke Haller took advantage of a system intended to assist patients and violated the trust of those truly in need. Our DEA investigators did a fine job building a case that showed the copious amounts of fraud committed by Haller. As a result, she will no longer be allowed to practice in Kansas.”
Haller was sentenced to three years of probation and must pay a $5,000 fine.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Faiza Alhambra prosecuted the case.
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Former and Current MBTA Employees Charged for Conspiracies to Falsify Red Line Track Inspection Reports and Collect Fraudulent Overtime PaymentsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Six former Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) employees and one current MBTA employee were charged today in a Superseding Indictment for multiple conspiracies, including allegedly conspiring to falsify Red Line track inspection reports as well as to commit overtime fraud.
- Brian Pfaffinger, 48, of Marshfield, was indicted for conspiracy to falsify records; conspiracy to commit wire fraud; falsification of records, aiding and abetting; and false statements, aiding and abetting;
- Ronald Gamble, 63, of Dorchester, was indicted for conspiracy to falsify records; conspiracy to commit wire fraud; wire fraud, aiding and abetting; falsification of records, aiding and abetting; and false statements, aiding and abetting;
- Magda Trinh, 45, of Avon, was indicted for conspiracy to falsify records; conspiracy to commit wire fraud; wire fraud, aiding and abetting;
- Jensen Vatel, 43, of Brockton, was indicted for conspiracy to falsify records; conspiracy to commit wire fraud; wire fraud, aiding and abetting; falsification of records, aiding and abetting; and false statements, aiding and abetting;
- Nathalie Mendes, 54, of New Bedford, was indicted for conspiracy to falsify records; conspiracy to commit wire fraud; wire fraud, aiding and abetting; falsification of records, aiding and abetting; false statements, aiding and abetting; and wire fraud;
- Danny Barbosa, 37, of Dorchester, was indicted for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud, aiding and abetting; and
- Matthew Leonard, 37, of Easton, was indicted for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud, aiding and abetting.
Pfaffinger, Gamble, Vatel and Mendes were previously indicted on May 22, 2025 and arrested on May 29, 2025. Trinh, Barbosa and Leonard were arrested this morning and appeared in federal court in Boston today.
According to the charging documents, the defendants were all former Red Line Maintenance of Way employees. Pfaffinger served as the team’s supervisor and Gamble, Trinh, Vatel and Mendes were former track inspectors. As track inspectors, Gamble, Trinh, Vatel and Mendes’ job duties included completing track inspections for the Red Line. To complete the inspections, track inspectors used MBTA-issued cellular phones with an application called MaxTrax to record information regarding their track inspections, including whether the inspection was completed. The application then generated a report with details concerning the inspection:
Rather than complete inspections, from Jan. 1, 2024 to Oct. 16, 2024, it is alleged that Pfaffinger, Gamble, Trinh, Vatel and Mendes either falsified track inspection reports or aided and abetted the submission of falsified inspection reports. To avoid scrutiny from senior MBTA officials about the lack of work being performed, Gamble and Trinh allegedly instructed Vatel, Mendes and other Red Line track inspectors to falsely extend the duration of their track inspections on the reports. It is further alleged that some of the track inspectors, including Vatel and Mendes, falsified the train numbers on their inspection reports by inserting train numbers they found online rather than completing train rides as required for inspections.
Additionally, during the times when some of the inspections were reported as having been conducted, it is alleged that Gamble, Trinh, Vatel and Mendes were actually present inside Cabot Yard – a MBTA location that contained a coffee and breakroom for Red Line inspection employees. Cabot Yard also contained a large garage where Gamble, Vatel, Barbosa and Leonard allegedly worked on private vehicles during work hours:
It is alleged that Pfaffinger not only knew that his subordinates worked on private vehicles during work hours, but had his subordinates perform work on his own personal vehicle as well. In one instance, in July 2024, Pfaffinger notified his subordinates that multiple tracks – supposedly being inspected by track inspectors subordinate to him – had serious defects. Only 10 days later, however, Pfaffinger allegedly requested his subordinates use their workday to perform work on his private vehicle:
Furthermore, it is alleged that from Jan. 1, 2024 to Oct. 16, 2024, Gamble frequently created overtime sheets, which he submitted directly to payroll, falsely claiming that he, Trinh, Mendes, Vatel, Barbosa and Leonard worked overtime shifts that they did not. Rather than work their overtime shifts, Gamble, Trinh, Mendes, Vatel, Barbosa and Leonard allegedly did the following: (1) they did not show up at all for the shift; (2) they showed up hours late for their shifts; or (3) they showed up at the beginning of the shift, used the hand scan and then disappeared for hours (sometimes to sleep in their vehicles) before returning to work.
Gamble allegedly submitted overtime sheets for Leonard, Barbosa and others, even knowing that they did not complete their overtime shifts, to compensate them for working on private vehicles during MBTA hours. On at least one occasion, Trinh allegedly aided and abetted the submission of a falsified time sheet, alleging that Vatel worked an overtime shift that he did not. Gambled allegedly copied Pfaffinger on these overtime submissions to payroll and, as the supervisor, Pfaffinger allegedly approved all time sheets for his subordinates.
The charge of conspiracy to falsify records provides a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of falsification of records, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of false statements provides a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of aiding and abetting provides that an individual who aids and abets is punishable as a principal. 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; Elise Chawaga, Principal Inspector General of the United States Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General; and Anthony D’Esposito, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucy Sun of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting the case.
Former Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office “No Show” Cousin and Chaplain Sentenced in Public Corruption Scheme Orchestrated by former Sheriff Chuck WrightRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE, S.C. — Lawson B. Watson, 74, of Reidville, and Amos Durham, 62, of Woodruff, were sentenced for their roles in a public corruption scheme led by former Spartanburg County Sheriff Chuck Wright, who was sentenced on Tuesday to 41 months in federal prison.
Chief District Court Judge Timothy M. Cain sentenced Watson to 16 months in federal prison, the top end of the recommended sentencing range under the United States Sentencing Guidelines, as well as a three-year term of supervised release. Watson was also ordered to pay $349,885.22 in restitution. The Court also ordered that Watson make monthly payments of $2,000 in restitution payments upon his release from federal prison, and he was ordered to pay $80,000 in restitution by the close of business on the day of his sentencing.
Durham was the only defendant of the three who was eligible for a probationary sentence pursuant to the United States Sentencing Guidelines. Judge Cain sentenced Durham to five years of probation, the maximum term of probation allowed by statute. Durham was also ordered to pay $95,442.39 in restitution. Durham will begin paying $3,000 a month towards restitution until it is satisfied within the next 60 days.“The taxpayers of Spartanburg County and the members of the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office deserved better, and these defendants have now been held accountable for their roles in Chuck Wright’s schemes,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office as well as our state and federal law enforcement partners will remain ‘at the ready,’ continuing to investigate and prosecute public corruption in South Carolina.”
According to court documents, from 2021-2025, Watson receiving an annual salary of $57,000 with full benefits, a county-issued Chevrolet Tahoe maintained by the county, with unlimited access to taxpayer-funded gas. In return, Watson was a no-show employee for four years, failing to work in his county capacity. Instead, Watson used his county-issued Tahoe and phone to run his own grading business, including by listing his county-issued phone as the contact number for his private business, and he had a county employee prepare quotes and bids for his grading business. As the record revealed, Watson did not check his county email, he did not know how to submit a time sheet, and employees reported not seeing him at the sheriff’s office for several years.
Durham, while serving as the senior chaplain for SCSO, in another fraudulent scheme led by Wright, oversaw the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office Chaplain’s Benevolence Fund. The Benevolence Fund is non-profit organization that provides financial assistance to SCSO deputies and their families during times of need, such as bereavement, financial difficulties, and traumatic line-of-duty events. Wright directed Durham to withdraw cash from the fund and cut checks to Wright, which Wright used for his own personal enrichment, to include the purchase of illegal opioids instead of assisting deputies and their families in need.
When one employee’s family approached the chaplain seeking assistance to cover hospice bills from the Benevolence Fund for help covering hospice bills, they were turned away because the fund was empty. When a deputy asked for assistance with bills associated with a tree that fell on the deputy’s house, they were also turned away. Around the same time, Wright took more than $89,000 donated cash from the Benevolence Fund for his private use. Wright also used the fund for personal purchases and expenses, to include hotel rooms, food, and travel bills. Durham also used the fund for pay for just over $3,000 for his own personal expenses, to include payments to Joseph A. Bank Clothiers, Discount Tire, and Lenscrafters.
The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), and the office of 10th Circuit Solicitor Micah Black. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lothrop Morris and Criminal Chief Elliott B. Daniels prosecuted the case.###
Former Pinckneyville Correctional Center employee pleads guilty to falsifying husband’s timesheets causing $124,000 loss to the State of IllinoisRead the Press Release
BENTON, Ill. – A former account technician at Pinckneyville Correctional Center, which is a part of the Illinois Department of Corrections, appeared in district court to plead guilty to federal charges for wire fraud and misapplication of property from federally funded programs.
Maggi R. Tudor, 34, began working as an Account Technician at Pinckneyville Correctional Center (PCC) in 2022. At the time, Tudor’s husband was employed as a Correctional Officer at Murphysboro Life Skills Reentry Center, which is a satellite facility of PCC. According to court documents, Tudor acted as a timekeeper and backup payroll clerk for PCC and Murphysboro Life Skills Reentry Center.
Tudor admitted to abusing her position of trust as an Account Technician to falsely modify her husband’s timesheets, so he obtained higher payroll payments he was not entitled to. Tudor manipulated her husband’s timesheets to make it appear her husband worked overtime and holiday hours he did not work. In all, Tudor caused a loss to the State of Illinois in the amount of $124,917.35.
“Fraud against taxpayers is a high priority for the Department of Justice,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “Tudor siphoned hard-earned taxpayer dollars for personal gain. Public service is a privilege, not a personal piggy bank. We will continue to safeguard every taxpayer dollar and hold those who abuse their positions fully accountable.”
"The Illinois State Police is dedicated to upholding public integrity and pursues any state employee committing criminal behavior," said Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly.
Tudor’s sentencing hearing is set for November 9, 2026 at 9:30 AM in Benton.
Illinois State Police is leading the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Howard is prosecuting the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Former Deputy U.S. Marshal Sentenced for Assault on Prisoner in Louisiana CourthouseRead the Press Release
A former Deputy U.S. Marshal was sentenced today to 45 months in prison for assaulting a federal inmate and writing a false report about the incident.
In April 2026, after a three-day trial, a federal jury in the Western District of Louisiana convicted Joshua Firmin, 49, of one count of Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law and one count of Falsification of Records.
“The great majority of law enforcement officers do essential work honorably and lawfully under difficult and high-risk conditions,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “But Joshua Firmin knowingly overstepped his authority when he assaulted a shackled prisoner and failed to uphold the trust placed in him when he lied about it in official documents. Today’s sentence represents appropriate accountability, and we are grateful to the law enforcement personnel who reported the misconduct and cooperated with the investigation.”
“The civil rights protections afforded to all U.S. citizens are a fundamental part of the Constitution,” said U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle for the Eastern District of Louisiana. “The unlawful civil rights violation committed by Mr. Firmin against a shackled inmate, not only tarnishes the reputation, it also engenders public distrust of the innumerable law enforcement officers who so honorably protect and serve all of us. Today’s sentencing ensures that Mr. Firmin is being held accountable for his actions.”
“Firmin violated his oath as a law enforcement officer by abusing his authority,” said Special Agent in Charge Cloey Pierce of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (DOJ OIG) South Central Region Houston Office. “The DOJ OIG will continue working with its law enforcement partners to ensure that anyone participating in this type of behavior will be brought to justice.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on February 29, 2024, Firmin, who was then assigned to operations duties at the federal courthouse in Lafayette, Louisiana, learned that a prisoner awaiting a court appearance in the courthouse cell block had made insulting remarks about Firmin to another courthouse employee. Shortly thereafter, Firmin entered the courthouse cellblock and unlocked the cell where the prisoner was being held, yanked the prisoner, who was restrained in handcuffs, waist shackles, and leg irons, out of the cell by his hair and slammed his head into the cellblock wall. As a result of the assault, the prisoner suffered a laceration to his scalp that required staples to close. Following the assault, Firmin wrote an official use of force report in which he falsely stated that the prisoner had attempted to spit on him and then inadvertently struck his head on a door while resisting efforts to escort him to another cell. However, another Deputy U.S. Marshal, who had witnessed the assault, promptly reported the misconduct to his chain of command, leading to an investigation by the DOJ OIG.
The case was investigated by the DOJ OIG South Central Region Houston Office.
The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Alec Ward of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chandra Menon for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
Former Chief Operating Officer, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Pays $20,000 for Post-Employment Restriction ViolationRead the Press Release
Deirdre Walsh, the former Chief Operating Officer of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), has agreed to pay $20,000 to resolve allegations that she violated post-government employment restrictions during the one-year cooling off period after she left the ODNI.
“The U.S. Department of Justice is committed to enforcing the restrictions imposed on officers and employees of the Executive Branch after they leave the government, especially those who held senior positions, in order to protect the integrity of the Executive Branch,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This resolution should work to deter individuals from attempting to exert undue influence on their former agency.”
“The collaboration between our IC OIG investigators and Department of Justice partners on this case exemplifies effective interagency oversight,” said Intelligence Community Inspector General Christopher Fox. “This outcome reinforces the critical importance of working across agency boundaries to strengthen national security. Regardless of position or title, we will hold people accountable.”
The United States alleged that within the first year after leaving employment at the ODNI, Walsh contacted an ODNI employee on behalf of her employer, a government contractor, regarding a request for equitable adjustment (REA) valued at approximately $18 million. Her employer’s senior leadership had identified Walsh as part of a “pressure campaign” in connection with the REA on or around the same day that Walsh contacted the ODNI employee. This conduct violated Walsh’s post-government employment restrictions under 18 U.S.C. § 207(c), which prohibits any former senior officer or employee of the Executive Branch from knowingly making, within one year of her termination and with the intent to influence, any communication to or appearance before any officer or employee of the department or agency in which she served within one year before such termination, on behalf of any other person, in connection with any matter on which she seeks official action by any officer or employee of such department or agency. Under 18 U.S.C. § 216(b), a person who violates Section 208 is liable for a civil monetary penalty, and Walsh has agreed to pay a $20,000 civil penalty to resolve the allegations that her conduct violated her post-government employment restrictions.
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 Intelligence Community Office of the Inspector General.
The matter was handled by Trial Attorney Robin Overby of the Civil Division.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Former Austin ISD Elementary Teacher Sentenced to 16 years in Federal Prison for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
AUSTIN, Texas – A former elementary school teacher was sentenced by a federal court in Austin to 200 months in prison and 10 years supervised release for receipt and possession of child pornography.
According to court documents, a digital forensic analysis of seized devices determined that Carl David Innmon, 51, possessed more than 16,000 files depicting child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on a laptop computer and an additional 349,728 files depicting CSAM on an external hard drive. Thousands of the images possessed by Innmon involved prepubescent minors under the age of 12.
Innmon was a fifth-grade teacher in the Austin Independent School District at the time of his April 2025 arrest and had previously worked as a substitute teacher at approximately 20 other schools within the district. He faced up to 20 years in prison.
“This now-convicted pedophile was tasked with caring for the most vulnerable among us: our children,” said U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas Justin R. Simmons. “Instead, he used children to satisfy his deviant sexual desires. In cooperation with our state, local and federal law enforcement partners, my office will always aggressively pursue pedophiles like this one, and our message to them is this: pedophilia is not a sexual preference; it’s a crime, and we will always make sure you do the time.”
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Grant Sparks prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Former Anne Arundel County Police Officer Sentenced in Connection with Insurance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal judge sentenced a former Anne Arundel County police officer for his role in an auto-insurance fraud scheme.
Judge Lydia Griggsby sentenced Jaron Earl Taylor, 32, of Ft. Washington, Maryland, to three years of probation, with the first five months served on home detention, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Judge Griggsby also ordered Taylor to pay $38,670 in restitution to the United States Automobile Association. Co-conspirator Michael Anthony Owen, Jr., 38, of Accokeek, Maryland, previously pled guilty to falsifying records, in connection with the conspiracy.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI – Baltimore Field Office, and Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).
According to court documents, between August 2018 and February 2020, Taylor and Owen, who were Anne Arundel County Police Department and PGPD officers, respectively, at the time, conspired with fellow police officers to engage in mail and wire fraud. Taylor and Owen, along with officers Candace Tyler, 39, of Bowie, Maryland, who pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud; Conrad D’Haiti, 56, of La Plata, Maryland, who pled guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud; and Davion Percy, 41, of Suitland, Maryland, who a jury convicted at trial in June 2026, of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, and others, devised a scheme for insurance companies to pay out the remaining financing costs of unwanted vehicles.
Members of the conspiracy reported fictitious losses to insurers to obtain money or avoid paying off vehicles that were now worth less than the amount owed on them. The co-conspirators used their statuses as police officers to assist each other’s claims by writing false police reports. Then co-conspirators submitted fictitious police reports to insurers to validate the claim. The false police reports were intended to impede, obstruct, or influence subsequent investigations of the false insurance claims.
In August 2018, Taylor and Owen staged the theft of Taylor’s Chevrolet Tahoe. After Taylor filed a fraudulent police report, Taylor and Owen stripped the vehicle and drove it deep into the woods of a Maryland State Highway property near Largo, Maryland. Taylor then made a false claim to the United Services Automobile Association (USAA) for the loss, for which USAA paid out a total of $38,670.
Then in January 2020, Owen assisted D’Haiti in avoiding payment on the loan balance of a Jaguar XKR. In cooperation with D’Haiti and Percy, Owen devised a scheme to fake the vehicle’s theft. On January 4, D’Haiti parked his Jaguar behind Marlow Heights Shopping Center where Percy worked as police chief.
D’Haiti then paid Percy $350 to arrange for another co-conspirator to tow the vehicle and extensively vandalize it for the purpose of creating a total insurance loss. Tyler subsequently filed the fictitious police report which D’Haiti used to substantiate his claim against Liberty Mutual Insurance. In February 2020, Liberty Mutual paid the Jaguar’s lienholder, Navy Federal Credit Union, $17,585, on the false claim.
Additionally, in January 2020, Taylor and Owen assisted with disposing of an Infiniti sedan to help a co-conspirator avoid making further payments on the vehicle while on extended overseas duty. The co-conspirator gave Taylor $1,000 via CashApp to stage the theft. Taylor then forwarded the money to Owen who filed a false police report with PGPD, stating the vehicle was stolen.
But Taylor, Owen, and others moved the car to the top floor of a Camp Springs, Maryland, apartment-complex parking garage. The co-conspirators attempted to conceal the car’s identity by removing the vehicle’s license plates and replacing them with different ones registered to another vehicle. Then the owner and co-conspirator filed a claim with GEICO that was eventually denied on grounds of fraud.
Owen’s sentencing is scheduled for Tuesday, August 18, at 2:30 p.m.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and PGPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Baldwin, Adeyemi Adenrele, and Caroline Schechinger who are prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Former Afghan General and First Deputy House Speaker Extradited to U.S. to Face Charges of Conspiring to Traffic Hundreds of Kilograms of Heroin and Methamphetamine and Provide Arsenal of Military-Grade WeaponryRead the Press Release
A complaint was unsealed today charging Abdul Zahir Qadeer, also known as “Haji Abdul Zahir,” a former general in Afghanistan’s Border Force and First Deputy Speaker of Afghanistan’s National Assembly’s House of the People, with conspiring to import heroin and methamphetamine and related firearms offenses. Qadeer is expected to appear in federal court in Manhattan today following his arrest in Nairobi, Kenya, on April 15, 2025, and extradition to the United States on July 10, 2026.
“While purporting to be a political leader of Afghanistan, Abdul Zahir Qadeer was allegedly leading a criminal enterprise dealing in dangerous and addictive narcotics and heavy weapons,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The Drug Enforcement Administration led an investigation that ended Qadeer’s audacious criminal activity, and now he will face justice in the United States.”
“Abdul Zahir Qadeer, a former high-ranking Afghan government official, allegedly also held a dual role as a large-scale international narcotics and military-grade weapons trafficker,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton for the Southern District of New York. “In an attempt to traffic massive amounts of poison and weaponry — including heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenade launchers — Qadeer allegedly sold a two-kilogram test shipment to a buyer, which was delivered in South Africa. Unbeknownst to Qadeer, that buyer was working with the DEA. The scale of potential devastation Qadeer was attempting to bring to the U.S. is terrifying. This brazen effort underscores the need for the commitment and expertise of our career prosecutors and DEA partners.”
“"The world is safer now that Abdul Zahir Qadeer is facing justice in the United States. As a former General for Afghanistan's Border Force, Qadeer was entrusted to protect his country's borders — instead, he exploited his position to facilitate drug and weapons trafficking that fueled violence and instability,” said Administrator Terrance C. Cole of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “Make no mistake; we will use the full weight of the United States government to bring such individuals to justice. No matter where you are, no matter how powerful you think you are — you are not out of our reach.”
According to the allegations contained in the complaint and other public filings: Qadeer is a former member of Afghanistan’s National Assembly, which functioned as the legislature of Afghanistan until the Taliban regained control of the country in or about August 2021, and he was elected First Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly’s House of the People in or about 2012. Qadeer previously served as a general in Afghanistan’s Border Force, a paramilitary police organization responsible for securing Afghanistan’s border, commanding its Eighth Border Battalion in Takhar Province, Afghanistan. Qadeer is pictured below, dressed in blue, toward the left of the image:
Photo of Qadeer (in blue and on the left) with the Eighth Border Battalion. From the complaint.Qadeer was also, until his arrest, a large-scale international narcotics and weapons trafficker. As alleged in the complaint, Qadeer engaged in extensive negotiations with an individual who purported to be a member of an international drug trafficking organization (the “DTO”) but, unbeknownst to Qadeer, was in fact a confidential source (CS-1) working at the direction of the DEA.
In or about November 2024, CS-1 began communicating with Qadeer about their potential partnership in trafficking hundreds of kilograms of heroin and methamphetamine for importation into and sale in the United States for the purported DTO. As an early step in their partnership, on or about Dec. 10, 2024, Qadeer sold a two-kilogram test shipment of methamphetamine delivered to CS-1’s associate in Johannesburg, South Africa, in exchange for approximately $14,000.
Photo of two-kilogram test shipment of methamphetamine allegedly sold by Qadeer. From the complaint. Screenshot of message thread between Qadeer and CS-1. From the complaint.Thereafter, Qadeer continued to negotiate with CS-1 regarding the sale to the DTO of hundreds of kilograms of heroin and methamphetamine, along with hundreds of heavy machine guns, assault rifles, sniper rifles, rocket-propelled grenade launchers, pistols, and grenades, which CS-1 represented would be used by the DTO to protect its drug trafficking activities from interdiction by the United States government. Pictured below is a purported weapons order from CS-1 that Qadeer agreed to fulfill:
Screenshot of a purported weapons order that Qadeer allegedly agreed to fulfill. From the complaint.Upon receiving the weapons order, Qadeer provided CS-1 with quotes of how much he would charge to source each weapon, including, for example, $11,579 for one sniper rifle, $9,670 for one type of machine gun, and $1,770 for 10 grenades in one box.
In or about April 2025, Qadeer attended a meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, with several individuals who he believed to be members of the DTO he would supply with narcotics and weapons. In reality, it was a meeting between Qadeer and multiple DEA confidential sources. Kenyan law enforcement officers arrested Qadeer immediately following the meeting.
Qadeer has been charged with narcotics importation conspiracy, which carries a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison; using and carrying machine guns and destructive devices during, and possessing machine guns and destructive devices in furtherance of, the narcotics-importation conspiracy, which carries a minimum penalty of 30 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison; and conspiring to use and carry machine guns and destructive devices during, and possess machine guns and destructive devices in furtherance of, the narcotics-importation conspiracy, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The statutory maximum and mandatory minimum penalties in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit investigated the case. The FBI’s Tactical Aviation Unit assisted with Qadeer’s extradition to the United States from Kenya. The Office of International Affairs of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division and Kenya’s Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and Directorate of Criminal Investigations also provided assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan L. Bodansky and Chelsea L. Scism for the Southern District of New York are prosecuting the case.
The charges contained in a complaint are merely accusations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Afghan General and First Deputy House Speaker Extradited to U.S. to Face Charges of Conspiring to Traffic Hundreds of Kilograms of Heroin and Methamphetamine and Provide Arsenal of Military-Grade WeaponryRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Acting Attorney General for the United States, Todd Blanche, and Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), Terrance C. Cole, announced today the unsealing of a Complaint charging ABDUL ZAHIR QADEER, a/k/a “Haji Abdul Zahir,” a former general in Afghanistan’s Border Force and First Deputy Speaker of Afghanistan’s National Assembly’s House of the People, with conspiring to import heroin and methamphetamine and related firearms offenses. QADEER was presented earlier today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry J. Ricardo and ordered detained pending trial, following his arrest in Nairobi, Kenya, on April 15, 2025 and extradition to the United States on July 10, 2026.
“Abdul Zahir Qadeer, a former high-ranking Afghan government official, allegedly also held a dual role as a large-scale international narcotics and military-grade weapons trafficker,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “In an attempt to traffic massive amounts of poison and weaponry—including heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenade launchers—Qadeer allegedly sold a two-kilogram test shipment to a buyer, which was delivered in South Africa. Unbeknownst to Qadeer, that buyer was working with the DEA. The scale of potential devastation Qadeer was attempting to bring to the U.S. is terrifying. This brazen effort underscores the need for the commitment and expertise of our career prosecutors and DEA partners.”
“While purporting to be a political leader of Afghanistan, Abdul Zahir Qadeer was allegedly leading a criminal enterprise dealing in dangerous and addictive narcotics and heavy weapons,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The Drug Enforcement Administration led an investigation that ended Qadeer’s audacious criminal activity, and now he will face justice in the United States.”
“The world is safer now that Abdul Zahir Qadeer is facing justice in the United States,” said DEA Administrator Terrance C. Cole. “As a former General for Afghanistan’s Border Force, Qadeer was entrusted to protect his country's borders—instead, he exploited his position to facilitate drug and weapons trafficking that fueled violence and instability. Make no mistake; we will use the full weight of the United States government to bring such individuals to justice. No matter where you are, no matter how powerful you think you are—you are not out of our reach.”
According to the allegations contained in the Complaint and other public filings:(1)
QADEER is a former member of Afghanistan’s National Assembly, which functioned as the legislature of Afghanistan until the Taliban regained control of the country in or about August 2021, and he was elected First Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly’s House of the People in or about 2012. QADEER previously served as a general in Afghanistan’s Border Force, a paramilitary police organization responsible for securing Afghanistan’s border, commanding its Eighth Border Battalion in Takhar Province, Afghanistan. QADEER is pictured below, dressed in blue, toward the left of the image:
QADEER was also, until his arrest, a large-scale international narcotics and weapons trafficker. As alleged in the Complaint, QADEER engaged in extensive negotiations with an individual who purported to be a member of an international drug trafficking organization (the “DTO”) but, unbeknownst to QADEER, was in fact a confidential source (“CS-1”) working at the direction of the DEA.
In or about November 2024, CS-1 began communicating with QADEER about their potential partnership in trafficking hundreds of kilograms of heroin and methamphetamine for importation into and sale in the United States for the purported DTO. As an early step in their partnership, on or about December 10, 2024, QADEER sold a two-kilogram test shipment of methamphetamine delivered to CS-1’s associate in Johannesburg, South Africa, in exchange for approximately $14,000. Thereafter, QADEER continued to negotiate with CS-1 regarding the sale to the DTO of hundreds of kilograms of heroin and methamphetamine, along with hundreds of heavy machine guns, assault rifles, sniper rifles, rocket-propelled grenade launchers, pistols, and grenades, which CS-1 represented would be used by the DTO to protect its drug trafficking activities from interdiction by the United States government. Pictured below is a purported weapons order from CS-1 that QADEER agreed to fulfill:
Upon receiving the weapons order, QADEER provided CS-1 with quotes of how much he would charge to source each weapon, including, for example, $11,579 for one sniper rifle, $9,670 for one type of machine gun, and $1,770 for 10 grenades in one box.
In or about April 2025, QADEER attended a meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, with several individuals who he believed to be members of the DTO he would supply with narcotics and weapons. In reality, it was a meeting between QADEER and multiple DEA confidential sources. Kenyan law enforcement officers arrested QADEER immediately following the meeting.
* * *
ABDUL ZAHIR QADEER, 52, of Afghanistan, has been charged with narcotics importation conspiracy, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; using and carrying machine guns and destructive devices during, and possessing machine guns and destructive devices in furtherance of, the narcotics-importation conspiracy, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; and conspiring to use and carry machine guns and destructive devices during, and possess machine guns and destructive devices in furtherance of, the narcotics-importation conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The statutory maximum and mandatory minimum penalties in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding efforts of the DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit. Mr. Clayton also thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Tactical Aviation Unit, which assisted with QADEER’s extradition to the United States from Kenya; the Office of International Affairs of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division; and Kenya’s Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and Directorate of Criminal Investigations for their assistance.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan L. Bodansky and Chelsea L. Scism are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
^
As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Felon with Prior Attempted Carjacking Convictions Sentenced for Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Damian Barnett, 22, a felon residing in the District who was previously convicted of two attempted carjackings, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 28 months in prison for illegally possessing a loaded unholstered pistol in a residential neighborhood, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Barnett chose to illegally carry a loaded firearm in D.C., less than a year after being released from prison for attempted carjacking,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This felon’s actions put law-abiding citizens at risk and demonstrated a blatant disregard for the law. His prior conviction should have been a turning point. Instead, it became a prelude to another crime.”
Barnett pleaded guilty Nov. 20, 2025, to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 28-month prison term, Judge Jia M. Cobb ordered Barnett to serve two years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 33-month prison term.
According to court documents, on July 14, 2025, police officers on patrol in Northeast Washington encountered a group of people on the 1100 block of 16th Street, NE. Among the group was Barnett, who appeared to be smoking a marijuana cigarette. When Barnett spotted the officers, he handed off the cigarette and ran down an alley. Officers pursued Barnett and saw him reach for his waistband, pull out a firearm, and toss it into the air.
Officers apprehended Barnett and recovered a Glock 19 pistol, loaded with 23 rounds of ammunition, in the alley off Levis Street, NE. The pistol had been reported stolen in November 2024 in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
Barnett previously was convicted of two counts of attempted carjacking. For those offenses he received two consecutive 24-month prison sentences and was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Washington Field Division.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob Green and Lauren Ibanez as part of the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful Initiative.
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 for offenses, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
Barnett runs from officers on the 1100 block of 16th Street, NE.
Investigators recovered this Glock 19 pistol in an alley off Levis Street, NE.
An image of a handheld Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR) thermal imaging device that indicated the firearm had recently been held.
Evidence photo of the Glock 19, magazine, and 23 rounds of ammunition that police recovered in the alley.
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Felon Sentenced to 27 Months for Possessing ‘Ghost Gun’ While Unconscious on D.C. SidewalkRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – James Fredrick Moore, 52, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 27 months in prison in connection with his unlawful possession of a “ghost gun” and ammunition recovered after he was found passed out on a public sidewalk in Northwest Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Moore pleaded guilty on March 9, 2026, without the benefit of a plea agreement, before Chief Judge James E. Boasberg to unlawful possession of ammunition by a felon, to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and to unlawful possession of a ghost gun.
In addition to the 27-month prison term, Chief Judge Boasberg ordered Moore to serve two years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a prison term of 33 months.
According to court papers, on Sept. 3, 2025, a witness called 911 to report that Moore was unconscious and in possession of a firearm at the intersection of 1st Street NW and Florida Avenue NW, a busy downtown D.C. intersection.
Responding officers from the Metropolitan Police Department found Moore with a 9mm privately made pistol lacking a serial number, tucked in the back of Moore's waistband. Officers subdued Moore and recovered the loaded weapon. A search incident to arrest also uncovered suspected drug paraphernalia and a substance that field-tested positive for amphetamines.
Prior to this offense, Moore had been convicted 18 times for an array of crimes that include attempted cocaine distribution, assault and sex abuse, and multiple weapons counts.
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 Lauren Ibanez.
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.
The Polymer80 ghost gun recovered from Moore on Sept. 3, 2025.
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Federal Judge Sentences Man to Four Years in Prison for $2 Million COVID-Relief FraudRead the Press Release
CHICAGO – A man has been sentenced to four years in federal prison for submitting—and teaching others how to submit—false Covid-relief loan applications on behalf of themselves and others who paid kickbacks to him and his co-schemers. Under the leadership of United States Attorney Andrew S. Boutros and consistent with the Administration’s priorities to identify, investigate, and prosecute criminal fraud in the federal government entitlement and benefit programs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois has been taking a fresh look at Covid-19 fraud.
JAMES TOWNSEND schemed to fraudulently obtain more than $2 million in small business loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). In 2021, Townsend submitted and caused to be submitted more than 100 applications for loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) on behalf of dozens of sole proprietorships purportedly operated by Townsend and others. The applications contained numerous false statements and misrepresentations regarding the purported proprietorships’ operations, including the number of employees, gross revenues, and payroll expenses. In reality, the applicants did not operate sole proprietorships, nor did they employ any individuals or incur operational expenses such as payroll. For each successful fraudulent loan, Townsend and his co-schemers received kickback payments from the loan applicants.
Townsend pleaded guilty earlier this year to a federal wire fraud charge. On June 24, 2026, U.S. District Chief Judge Virginia M. Kendall sentenced Townsend to four years in federal prison and ordered him to pay full restitution.
Townsend also recruited and directed co-defendants SARAH STOKES 37, of Crestwood, Ill., and AMANDA HELLER, 40, of Crestwood, Ill., to find putative borrowers, complete and submit fraudulent applications on their behalf, and then share the proceeds. Stokes and Heller each pleaded guilty to a federal wire fraud charge. Stokes was sentenced in November 2025 to 18 months in federal prison. Heller’s sentencing is set for Oct. 28, 2026.
U.S. Attorney Boutros announced Townsend’s sentence along with Lucas Rothaar, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the Illinois Attorney General’s Office.
“Defendant’s crime was serious,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam L. Rosenbloom argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum in Townsend’s case. “He defrauded the government of millions of dollars meant to help regular Americans survive a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic.”
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
El Salvadoran man pleads guilty to, sentenced for resisting a federal officer and damaging government propertyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.–U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Manuel De Jesus Jandres Martinez, 33, of El Salvador, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to depredation of government property, and assaulting, resisting, or impeding a federal officer. He was then sentenced to time served and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
On December 31, 2025, U.S. Border Patrol agents observed a vehicle registered to Jandres Martinez parked in a hotel parking lot on Millersport Highway in Amherst, NY. Law enforcement approached the vehicle and identified themselves as Border Patrol officers. As they approached, Jandres Martinez started his ignition and tried to escape from the parking lot. In his attempt to flee, he reversed and rammed his car into the Border Patrol vehicle, which was parked behind his car, causing more than $1,000 in damage to the Border Patrol vehicle. Jandres Martinez then actively resisted Border Patrol agents when he got out of his car, ran from the agents into the hotel, and locked himself in a hotel room.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright. The plea and sentencing are the result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Acting Chief Patrol Agent James D’Amato and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Anthony Patrone.
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Dunn Housing Authority Director Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing Taxpayer FundsRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Debbie Norris Woodell, 64, to two years in Federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiring to commit federal program theft. Woodell was also ordered to repay $238,448 to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
“In limited circumstances, HUD pays for citizen’s housing with taxpayers’ dollars,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “Woodell stole those dollars robbing both taxpayers and indigent recipients of America’s generosity. We will continue to hold greedy fraudsters accountable and ensure that criminals who exploit public programs face serious consequences. Cheaters. Never. Win.”
Woodell became the Executive Director of the Dunn Housing Authority (DHA) in 2014. DHA is a federally funded agency that provides affordable housing to qualifying low‑income families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities in Dunn, North Carolina. Between 2016 and 2021, Woodell exploited her position, working with others to steal more than $200,000 from DHA. As part of the scheme, she issued checks from DHA accounts to co‑conspirators for unapproved landscaping and maintenance work that they never ever started. She funneled most of the money back to her personal use. To carry out the fraud, she fabricated bid documents, created fake invoices, forged signatures, and provided false information to DHA’s board of commissioners. Woodell also misused DHA credit cards to make thousands of dollars in unauthorized personal purchases, including ATV gear and home renovations for her house. She concealed the theft by creating false receipts and altering DHA’s accounting records.
“Debbie Woodell violated the trust placed in her, orchestrating multiple fraud schemes and compromising the federal procurement process by stealing more than $200,000 intended to support vulnerable members of the community,” said Special Agent in Charge Jerome Winkle of HUD’s Office of Inspector General. “Her actions were especially damaging given the limited resources available. HUD OIG will continue working with law enforcement partners to thoroughly investigate and hold accountable those who misuse public funds for personal gain.”
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. HUD’s Office of Inspector General investigated the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or PACER by searching case for Case No. 5:25-CR-103-FL-RN-1.
Drugs, Firearms Secure Lengthy Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Harrison County man was sentenced for selling fentanyl and methamphetamine while carrying firearms, U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey announced.
Matthew Ryan Lester, 34, of Clarksburg, West Virginia, was sentenced to 180 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and more than 40 grams of fentanyl, and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime. Lester sold methamphetamine and fentanyl in Harrison County. Separate searches of his home and vehicle uncovered 900 grams of methamphetamine, 240 grams of fentanyl, multiple firearms, and more than $8,000.
“Drug dealers who bring fentanyl and methamphetamine into our communities will face serious consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. “Our office will continue to aggressively target those pushing these deadly substances while illegally possessing firearms.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; and the Philippi Police Department investigated.
Fentanyl has been designated by President Donald Trump as a weapon of mass destruction due to its extreme lethality which poses a grave threat to public safety, even in trace amounts. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Dominican Republic National Pleads Guilty to Participating in $1 Million Unemployment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Karin L. Contreras, 45, a Dominican Republic citizen and U.S. lawful permanent resident, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in connection with a scheme to defraud unemployment programs, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Contreras pleaded guilty before the Honorable Beryl A. Howell to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Following the plea hearing, Judge Howell scheduled sentencing for Nov. 6, 2026.
“Contreras came to our country, was given the privilege of permanent residency, and then turned around and defrauded the American people,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This behavior won’t be tolerated, and thieves will be held accountable. Contreras will suffer the consequence of her attempt to cheat the American taxpayers.”
According to court documents, from June 2020 through March 2021, Contreras conspired with others to fraudulently obtain unemployment insurance benefits using other people’s names and personal identity information. As a result of the fraudulent applications, conspirators received prepaid ATM cards loaded with benefits totaling more than $1 million. The overwhelming majority of the cards were mailed to a D.C. address immediately next to Contreras’ residence. Contreras and other conspirators then withdrew funds from the cards at ATMs, typically in increments of $1,000, the maximum daily withdrawal limit.
Between July 1, 2020, and July 14, 2020, Contreras personally used 12 different fraudulently obtained cards to withdraw $23,000 from ATMs in Washington, D.C. In total, conspirators were able to realize more than $550,000 from the scheme.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement 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
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi Kleinman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and John Kosmidis of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section.
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Department of Justice announces the results of Operation Spring CleaningRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Spring Cleaning, a nationwide initiative spearheaded by the FBI to combat gang-related threats and enhance public safety. The operation coordinated with federal, state, and local law enforcement and targeted the illegal flow of firearms and narcotics in our communities. The operation began on March 1 and ended May 31.
In total, Operation Spring Cleaning led to over 1100 arrests, over 600 charges filed, and almost 600 search warrants conducted. The operation also resulted in the seizure of:
- Almost 1000 illegal firearms, dozens of which were equipped with machine gun conversion devices (MCDs) as well as over 75 stand-alone MCDs
- Over 2,700 pounds of illegal narcotics including:
- Over 500 kilograms of cocaine or more than 1100 pounds
- Nearly 700 pounds of methamphetamine
- Over 550 pounds of marijuana
- Nearly 50 kilograms of fentanyl or more than 100 pounds
- Almost 40 kilograms of heroin or more than 85 pounds
- More than 7 kilograms of crack cocaine or more than 16 pounds
- More than 13,200 pills of MDMA, also known as ecstasy or molly
“When our neighborhoods are safe from the scourge of deadly drugs, individuals and families can prosper,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The Trump Administration has made significant progress in removing this poison from our streets, a key step in our commitment to making America safe again.”
“This FBI understands that communities across our country have been ravaged by gangs and the firearms and narcotics they flood our streets with,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Operation Spring Cleaning represents our total commitment to crushing this kind of violent crime and eliminating the criminal networks who facilitate them – with over 1,000 arrests, 1,000 firearms seized, and 3,000 pounds of narcotics removed from our neighborhoods. Righteous operations like this show this FBI is only getting started and will continue delivering the most prolific run of crime reduction in U.S. history.”
“These operations underscore our commitment to removing illegal guns and drugs from our streets so that we can all live in a safer community,” said United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould. “We are proud to work alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners as we continue to fight for and protect North Texans.”
“Operation Spring Cleaning is another example of how the FBI is working with our partners to combat illegal gang activity,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “We will continue to work together to reduce violent crime and increase safety in our North Texas communities.”
In the Northern District of Texas, 27 individuals were arrested and charged as part of Operation Spring Cleaning, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould and said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock.
Guns and drugs seized by FBI Dallas Field Office during Operation Spring Cleaning Guns, drugs, money, and jewelry seized by FBI Dallas Field Office during Operation Spring Cleaning
Additionally, FBI Dallas conducted 44 operations during Operation Spring Cleaning. After executing 6 search warrants, investigators seized approximately 5.35 kilograms of cocaine, 27.3 pounds methamphetamine, 127.9 pounds marijuana, $273,000 of US Currency, $20,000 worth of jewelry, a Mercedes Benz, and 73 firearms and machine-gun conversion devices.###
Dallas Man Federally Indicted for His Role in an Alleged Precious Metals Scam Targeting Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
A Dallas man was federally indicted on May 20, 2026, for his role in an alleged precious metals scam targeting elderly victims, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
Damien Moran, 36, was indicted with ten counts of wire fraud. On June 17, 2026, he made his initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Brian McKay.
According to the indictment, Moran allegedly owned and operated several companies that targeted elderly individuals to use their retirement savings to purchase precious metals, such as gold and silver coins, from his companies. However, as alleged in the indictment, Moran fraudulently sold the precious metals at significantly inflated prices without disclosing the markups to his customers. Additionally, as alleged in the indictment, Moran, on several occasions, failed to deliver the precious metals his customers had purchased.
“This office is committed to standing up and protecting seniors and elderly folks from scams,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “Those in North Texas should read this indictment as a sign of things to come. If you have or plan to target seniors and elderly folks, we will find you, charge you, and seek stiff prison sentences.”
“This indictment demonstrates the lengths to which some criminals will go to defraud vulnerable members of our communities,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The FBI encourages the public to thoroughly research any investment opportunity and to contact us immediately if they suspect fraud."
If convicted, Moran faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count.
The FBI Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marty Basu is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Dallas County man has been extradited from Qatar to the United States to face charges in the Eastern District of Texas stemming from a Homeland Security Task Force investigationRead the Press Release
A Garland man has been extradited from Qatar to the United States to face charges related to a Homeland Security Task Force investigation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Chief Financial Officer Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Launder $67 Million Dollars in Fraud ProceedsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that WEIDONG GUAN, a/k/a “Bill Guan,” the former Chief Financial Officer of The Epoch Times Association, Inc. (the “Epoch Times”), an international media company headquartered in New York, New York, pled guilty yesterday to participating in a conspiracy to engage in transactions involving criminal proceeds as part of a transnational scheme to launder at least approximately $67 million of illegally obtained funds to benefit, among others, the Epoch Times. GUAN pled guilty before District Judge Victor Marrero. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled.
“Weidong Guan orchestrated an elaborate multimillion-dollar money laundering scheme to increase revenues at the company where he served as Chief Financial Officer,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Corporate leaders like Guan should take notice: boosting revenues through crime will not pay. This Office is committed to holding perpetrators of financial crimes accountable and compensating victims.”
According to the charging documents and statements made in public filings and public court proceedings:
From at least in or about 2019, through in or about May 2024, GUAN, while serving as Chief Financial Officer of the Epoch Times, conspired with others to participate in a sprawling, international scheme to launder at least approximately $67 million of illegally obtained funds to bank accounts in the names of the Epoch Times and related entities. GUAN did so by using the Epoch Times’ funds to purchase crime proceeds loaded onto gift cards and prepaid debit cards at discounted rates of approximately 70 to 80 cents on the dollar, and then laundering those crime proceeds back to the Epoch Times under the guise of fake “donations” to the Epoch Times. When banks notified GUAN that the transactions at issue were suspicious and asked GUAN to explain their source, GUAN knowingly misled the banks to believe the transactions were legitimate rather than criminal.
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GUAN, 63, of Secaucus, New Jersey, pled guilty to one count of conspiring to engage in transactions involving criminal proceeds, which carries a maximum sentence of ten years in prison. GUAN also agreed to forfeit at least $67 million, representing property involved in the offense, and separately to pay restitution up to $67 million. The criminal conduct at issue does not relate to the Epoch Times’ newsgathering activities.
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.
One of GUAN’s co-conspirators, Le Van Hung, a/k/a “Hung Van Le,” a/k/a “Van Hung Le,” pled guilty on June 29, 2026, to participating in a conspiracy to commit identity theft based on his role in the money laundering scheme. HUNG is scheduled to be sentenced on October 9, 2026.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, and the Special Agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin M. Burkett, Rebecca T. Dell, Paul M. Monteleoni, Daniel C. Richenthal, and Amanda C. Weingarten are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists William Spehr and Emma Vorchheimer.
Chicago Man Convicted of Plotting to Kill Two Witnesses in Cousin’s Murder TrialRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago man has been convicted on federal murder-for-hire charges for plotting to kill two potential witnesses in his cousin’s murder trial.
In the summer of 2024, CHRISTOPHER YATES sought the killings of two individuals he believed would testify against his cousin, who was set to go to trial in Cook County for allegedly fatally shooting a woman in 2020. Yates recruited two individuals to carry out the killings of the witnesses and provided them with a handgun and ammunition. Yates told them, “I want them both off the board. Both of them got to [expletive] go.”
Yates provided them with $250 in cash and said he could offer more money later as payment for the killings. “Whatever you charge, I’m working on that,” Yates told them.
Yates, 41, was arrested on July 31, 2024, before the killings could be carried out. He has remained detained in federal custody since then.
After a week-long trial in U.S. District Court in Chicago, the jury convicted Yates on June 29, 2026, of two counts of murder-for-hire and one count of unlawful transfer of a firearm and ammunition. The unlawful transfer charge is punishable by up to 15 years in federal prison, while each murder-for-hire count is punishable by up to ten years. U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger set sentencing for Oct. 28, 2026.
The conviction was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of Homeland Security Investigations. Substantial assistance was provided by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kirsten Moran and Megan Donohue.
Cheektowaga man going to prison for pointing a laser at an aircraftRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Joseph L. Crapsi, 31, of Cheektowaga, NY, who was convicted of pointing a laser pointer at an aircraft, was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
On March 2, 2024, a Delta Airlines flight was in flight and on approach to the Buffalo Niagara International Airport. Crapsi lives in the flight path of the airport and aimed the beam of a green laser pointer at the Delta Flight.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles M. Kruly and Craig R. Gestring. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Patterson, the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian Coons, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Allen B. Davis, II.
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Carbondale store owner sentenced to 46-month imprisonment and ordered to pay over $560,000 in restitution for fraudulent SNAP benefits schemeRead the Press Release
BENTON, Ill. – A federal district judge sentenced a Carbondale store owner to 46 months’ imprisonment after he admitted to fraudulently acquiring Supplemental Nutrition Assistant Program (“SNAP”) benefits he and his store were not entitled to receive.
Dean A. Amley, 61, pleaded guilty in March 2025 to one count for Conspiracy to Commit Food Stamp Fraud, one count of Unauthorized Acquisition of SNAP Benefits, and seven counts of Money Laundering. Following imprisonment, Amley will serve 3 years on supervised release. The judge also ordered Amley to pay $564,936.19 in restitution.
“Defendant’s fraudulent scheme not only stole taxpayer dollars, it violated the public’s trust in systems designed to support our most vulnerable, said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “This sentence reflects our office’s commitment to protecting essential public resources and ensuring that those who exploit programs meant to help families in need are held fully accountable.”
From March 1, 2014 to December 21, 2020, Amley along with his employees operated a business in Carbondale, Illinois known as East Main Shell, Inc. d/b/a Egyptian Corner. During this time, Amley and his employees conducted a fraudulent scheme whereby Amley would purchase SNAP benefits from their customers and then unlawfully use those SNAP benefits to purchase inventory for Egyptian Corner. Amley also permitted customers to unlawfully use SNAP benefits to purchase prohibited or ineligible items such as tobacco products and alcoholic beverages.
“Illinois SNAP recipients were for years ripped off by this criminal who used his store, Egyptian Corner, to steal from them,” said USDA Inspector General John Walk. “Instead of using his Food and Nutrition Administration SNAP retailer authorization to provide eligible food to needy Illinois residents, the convict took federal reimbursement for selling unlawful items and laundered SNAP benefits through other retail locations to enrich himself. USDA OIG special agents went to work with federal partners and now he’ll do the time – 46 months in federal prison, 3 years of supervised release, $564,936.19 in restitution, and $489,936.18 forfeited. Working with VP Vance and WH Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, USDA OIG will do the work to send fraudsters in Illinois or anywhere else to prison.”
“Amley didn’t just break the law, he stole from a federal program funded by taxpayers who expect those dollars to be used for their intended purpose,” said FBI Springfield Field Office Special Agent in Charge Ryan Presley. “He used his business to divert SNAP funds for himself, and that kind of abuse undermines trust in systems meant to help people who truly qualify for assistance. The FBI Springfield Field Office, working alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to pursue those who think they can cheat federal benefit programs and walk away with a profit.”
USDA OIG and FBI led this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Howard prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Canadian-owned companies agree to pay $223,618 to resolve fraud allegations related to receipt of a Small Business Innovation Research program awardRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.–U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Advanced Global Services, Ltd. (AGS), Paradigm Shift Technologies (PST), and Gennady Yumshtyk (collectively, the defendants) have agreed to pay $223,618 to resolve allegations, arising under the False Claims Act (FCA), that they submitted false claims in connection with a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program award funded by the United States Air Force and the United States Navy.
The government alleges that in 2019, AGS obtained an SBIR award to develop certain gun barrel coating technology through the Air Force. To obtain the SBIR award, AGS and its president, Yumshtyk, certified, among other things, that AGS would conduct all research and development in connection with the SBIR award and that it would do so in the United States. The government further alleges that AGS, which was located in Orchard Park, NY, did not, in fact, perform work under the SBIR award. Rather, PST, which is located in Toronto, Canada, performed the SBIR award work out of its Canadian facility. Accordingly, the United States contends that the defendants were not eligible to participate, and receive funding through, the SBIR program.
“This Office is committed to holding accountable companies and individuals that misrepresent themselves so that they can participate in important government programs, like SBIR,” said U.S. Attorney DiGiacomo.
“Protecting the integrity of the federal procurement process is a top priority for the Air Force Office of Special Investigations,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Sandy Nezi, Air Force Office of Special Investigations. “When contractors misrepresent their eligibility and location of work to secure taxpayer funds, they undermine programs designed to support genuine American small businesses. We will continue to work with our partners to aggressively investigate and hold accountable those who attempt to defraud the Department of the Air Force.”
“Schemes that exploit taxpayer funds designated for domestic military innovation do more than violate public trust, they threaten the integrity of our procurement system and undermine our technological edge,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Greg Gross, Economic Crimes Field Office, Naval Criminal Investigative Service. “Alongside our federal partners and the Department of Justice, NCIS will relentlessly pursue those who misrepresent their eligibility to secure research funding meant to deliver advanced, secure capabilities to our warfighters.”
The civil settlement resolves allegations brought by the United States in a civil complaint filed on November 24, 2025 in the United States District Court for the Western District of New York, captioned United States v. Advanced Global Systems, Ltd., Paradigm Shift Technologies, Inc., and Gennady Yumshtyk, No. 1:25-cv-01248.
The case was investigated at the direction of Special Agent Sandy Nezi, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Office of Procurement Fraud; Special Agent, Oran Cape, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Economic Crimes Field Office; and Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Coriell and Investigator Peggy McFarland of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination or admission of liability.
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Brazilian National Arrested for Armed Robbery of a Cash CourierRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian national, unlawfully residing in the United States on an expired visa, has been arrested in Florida and charged in connection with the armed robbery of a cash courier in Framingham, Mass. last November, which resulted in the theft of approximately $200,000.
Helbert Oliveira, 47, has been charged with Hobbs Act armed robbery and conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act armed robbery. Oliveira made his initial appearance in the Southern District of Florida today and will appear in Boston at a later date.
According to the charging documents, Oliveira is alleged to have conspired with another individual, Curt Porcher, to rob a cash courier delivering money to a Framingham business. Porcher allegedly served as the getaway driver in a rented vehicle, while Oliveira is accused of pointing a firearm at the victim and taking approximately $200,000. Surveillance footage from the robbery is included below:Prior to Oliveira’s arrest, his alleged co-conspirator, Porcher, was charged by criminal complaint in the District of Massachusetts with Hobbs Act armed robbery and conspiracy. He was subsequently indicted on April 22, 2026.
The charge of Hobbs Act armed robbery, or conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act armed robbery, provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Miami Division and the Marlborough Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aidan Lang of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting Oliveira. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rob Richardson, also of the Major Crimes Unit, is prosecuting Oliveira’s alleged co-conspirator, Porcher.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Baton Rouge Man Sentenced to 110 Months in Federal Prison for Major Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Alexander Brock, age 60, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was sentenced to 110 months in federal prison following his conviction for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine. U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles further sentenced Brock to serve four years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.
After a three-day trial, the jury unanimously convicted Brock of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine. As the evidence at trial demonstrated, Brock acted as a middleman by repeatedly brokering high-quantity deals to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine in East Baton Rouge and Iberville Parishes, while also converting cocaine into crack cocaine and distributing those substances to his own customers. The jury also determined that the conspiracy involved more than 500 grams of cocaine and more than 28 grams of crack cocaine.
U.S. Attorney Kurt L. Wall praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica Jarreau, who also serves as Deputy Chief in the Criminal Division, and Benjamin Anderson led the prosecution. “The success of these operations is attributed to true teamwork. I am proud of our prosecutors and thankful for our local and federal partners. They are working every day to make our community safer,” U.S. Attorney Wall said.
This prosecution 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 New Orleans comprises agents and officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the United States Marshals Service (USMS), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the U.S. Coast Guard, Investigative Service (CGIS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations (CBP OFO), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol (CBP BP) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney's Office for Middle District of Louisiana.
Amarillo Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison for Transportation of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A convicted sex offender residing in Amarillo was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison and ordered to pay restitution for transporting child sexual abuse material, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
In January 2026, Matthew Albert Tate, 57, pled guilty to transportation of child pornography. He was sentenced on May 27, 2026, to 480 months in federal prison by United States District Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk. The Court also ordered him to pay $96,500 in restitution.
“This defendant chose time and time again to abuse children and proliferate sexual abuse material online. He will, rightly so, spend the rest of his life behind bars,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “The judge in this case also ordered that he pay restitution back to the victims for his heinous crimes. My office has and will continue to fight every day for victims of child abuse. I’m proud of the AUSA prosecuting this case – she is simply a warrior for some of the most vulnerable folks in our communities – and I thank the great agents who work tirelessly, often at a severe personal cost, to ensure that justice is done for the child victims. NDTX is lucky to have these public servants fighting on behalf of our communities.”
“There is no greater betrayal than the sexual exploitation of a child and further contributing to their continued victimization through the distribution of child sexual abuse material,” said Travis Pickard, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Dallas. “This sentence reflects the devastating harm these crimes inflict on children and sends a clear message to those who prey on our most vulnerable: HSI and its law enforcement partners will ensure you face the full force of the law for your horrific acts .”
According to court records, in April 2025, law enforcement initiated an investigation into child pornography trafficking from an IP address in the Amarillo area. The user of the IP address was identified as Matthew Albert Tate. Tate was a registered sex offender for prior criminal convictions involving the sexual abuse of a child and possession of child pornography. The investigation revealed that beginning around January of 2025, Tate used an online file sharing platform to allow other users to download child sexual abuse material, including of prepubescent minors. In May 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Tate’s Amarillo residence wherein they confiscated multiple electronic devices belonging to Tate. A forensic search revealed multiple videos and photographs of child sexual abuse material in violation of federal law. Agents were also able to determine that Tate likely transferred the files from his Dell laptop computer to another electronic storage device using Internet connections and various file-sharing platforms. Tate later admitted to law enforcement that he downloaded and saved child pornography and traded child pornography online. Tate further admitted that he knew what he did was criminal.
Additional details about Tate’s background and prior convictions were discussed at his sentencing hearing. In 1997, Tate was arrested for sexually abusing a child younger than 14 and creating child pornography of her. He also possessed child pornography of other victims. The defendant was convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a child, indecency with a child, and possession of child pornography for that conduct. He was sentenced to 30 years imprisonment and was paroled in 2021 after serving approximately 24 years. He was on parole and required to register as a sex offender at the time of his arrest in May 2025 for trading child pornography with other online users. Tate also possessed a total of 3,246 individual files of child sexual abuse material on his devices, including material that involved 16 different victims who have been identified through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Homeland Security Investigations, Dallas Field Office (Amarillo Resident Agency) and the Texas Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation with assistance from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Parole Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Callie Woolam prosecuted the case.
The Justice Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation and brought this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the 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, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.
Additional details about Tate’s background and prior convictions were discussed at his sentencing hearing. In 1997, Tate was arrested for sexually abusing a child younger than 14 and creating child pornography of her. He also possessed child pornography of other victims. The defendant was convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a child, indecency with a child, and possession of child pornography for that conduct. He was sentenced to 30 years imprisonment and was paroled in 2021 after serving approximately 24 years. He was on parole and required to register as a sex offender at the time of his arrest in May 2025 for trading child pornography with other online users. Tate also possessed a total of 3,246 individual files of child sexual abuse material on his devices, including material that involved 16 different victims who have been identified through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Homeland Security Investigations, Dallas Field Office (Amarillo Resident Agency) and the Texas Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation with assistance from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Parole Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Callie Woolam prosecuted the case.
The Justice Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation and brought this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the 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, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.
185 more charged in new cases related to continuing efforts to secure southern borderRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – In support of Operation Take Back America, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Southern District of Texas has filed another 181 cases in immigration and border security-related matters from July 3-9.
The cases include charges against 21 people allegedly involved in human smuggling. A total of 33 criminal complaints were filed for illegal entry, while another 129 people face charges of felony reentry after prior removal. Most of those individuals have prior felonies related to narcotics, violent crime, immigration offenses, and more. The remaining cases charged this week involve other immigration crimes.
As part of these new matters, two illegal aliens from Mexico have been charged with unlawfully reentering the country. Authorities had just removed Gilberto Cuenca-Pedroza on May 6 but found him again in the United States near La Joya, Texas. Wilson Perez-Landeros had also been previously removed, but law enforcement discovered him near Rio Grande City, according to the criminal complaint. The charges further allege Cuenca-Pedroza and Perez-Landeros both have prior narcotics convictions, distribution of heroin and meth, respectively.
If convicted of illegally reentering the United States without authorization, both face up to 20 years in federal prison.
In addition to these new cases, a federal jury in Corpus Christi convicted a 46-year-old Honduran national of illegally reentering the United States after a one-day trial and 15 minutes of deliberation. Carlos Lopez-Mejia fled on foot following a traffic stop before authorities apprehended him. The jury heard evidence of his two prior removals in 2001 and 2019.
In Laredo, Guatemalan human smugglers Agapito Jorge Ventura and Oswaldo Manuel Zavala Quino pleaded guilty in a scheme tied to a tractor-trailer crash that killed more than 50 people and injured over 100 more. They conspired with others to transport illegal aliens, including unaccompanied minors, from Guatemala through Mexico to the United States. They recruited individuals, collected payment, and arranged travel via foot and various other forms of transportation. In some cases, they provided scripted language if authorities apprehended them. Both face up to life in prison at the time of their sentencing.
Also of note was the sentencing of Mexican national Ivan Garcia-Lopez in Houston. The court considered the dangerousness of his other crimes and lack of respect for the law before imposing the 60-month sentence. Garcia-Lopez has previous convictions for illegal reentry, engaging in organized crime, and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
The cases are referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the Southern District. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault, and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than 10 million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen, and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state, and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
9 July 2026
Zuni Man Sentenced for Fatal ShootingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni man was sentenced to 78 months in prison for the shooting death of an individual in the heat of passion.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents on December 1, 2024, Glendon Laate, 49, a member of the Zuni Pueblo, shot and killed John Doe with a homemade shotgun in the heat of passion.
Laate pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter. Upon his release from prison, Laate will be subject to three years of supervised release.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Burkhead is prosecuting the case.
Zuni Man Charged in Assault That Seriously Injured Two VictimsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni man is facing federal charges for allegedly attacking two victims with a hammer, causing serious injuries that required hospitalization.
According to court documents, on July 5, 2026, Errick Waikaniwa, 39, an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Zuni, allegedly assaulted two victims with a hammer at a residence in Zuni, New Mexico. The victims suffered severe injuries and were transported for medical treatment. One victim was later transferred to a regional hospital due to the extent of their injuries, which included significant facial trauma, while the second victim sustained head injuries, including a skull fracture.
The investigation determined that multiple people witnessed the assault and contacted law enforcement. Zuni Police Department officers responded to the scene, arrested Waikaniwa, and recovered a hammer believed to have been used in the attack. During a subsequent interview with FBI agents, Waikaniwa allegedly admitted to striking both victims with the hammer.
Waikaniwa is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury and will remain in custody pending a detention hearing. If convicted of the current charge, Waikaniwa faces up to 10 years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron O. Jordan is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Virginia Beach woman pleads guilty for making graphic threats of violence toward a federal elected officialRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach woman pled guilty today to threatening a federal official.
According to court documents, from May 21, 2025, to May 23, 2025, Jeannie Harris Blassingham, 69, in a series of voicemail messages made threats to an elected official and the official’s staff. In the profanity-laced statements, Blassingham threatened physical violence and stated that the official could “expect to be confronted by people who think” the official “needs to die right now.”
Blassingham is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 15 and faces up to six years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Capitol Police investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton D. LaForge is prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-60.
Virginia Beach fentanyl trafficker sentenced to 10 years in prisonRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents, from at least Oct. 28, 2022, to Jan. 27, 2023, Ryan Dale Anderson, 40, was part of a drug-trafficking conspiracy operating in Hampton Roads, Florida, and California.
On Oct. 28 and Nov. 2 of 2022, undercover law enforcement conducted controlled purchases of a total of 1,004 purported Percocet pills containing fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl that were supplied by Anderson.
During a third controlled transaction on Dec. 6, 2022, Anderson sold 101 fentanyl pills to an undercover detective in Virginia Beach. On Jan. 27, 2023, Anderson contacted the undercover detective and agreed to meet to sell 1,000 fentanyl pills. Anderson arrived at the meeting location and was subsequently taken into custody. Law enforcement seized 1,020 fentanyl pills from the vehicle in which Anderson arrived.
Investigators searched Anderson’s Virginia Beach residence and his storage unit in Chesapeake. They recovered, among other things, a total of 1,684 fentanyl pills, 12 LSD tabs, 10 Adderall pills, three Xanax pills, 10.8 pounds of marijuana, $12,992.50, digital scales, and packaging material.
Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C., and the Virginia Beach Police Department investigated this case with assistance from, the Virginia State Police, Naval Criminal Investigative Services, and the McIntosh County Sheriff Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda L. Cheney prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-61.
Two illegal aliens convicted of federal charges following multiple state arrests for assaultsRead the Press Release
Seattle – Two illegal aliens have been charged federally with returning to the U.S. after removal and both were arrested federally after being jailed for new crimes, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. The defendants have now been sentenced to prison terms.
“These cases represent the work we are doing to make our community safer, despite the efforts Washington State to frustrate immigration enforcement,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. “Both of these defendants were removed from the U.S. and returned illegally multiple times. They were encountered by local law enforcement multiple times and in each case, they were released back into the community to commit additional crimes including violent assaults. When ICE learns of a state arrest our attorneys work quickly to get judicial arrest warrants so that they will not be released to our streets yet again. All of this could be avoided if elected officials would allow for even a minimum amount of cooperation.”
Miguel Rangel Jimenez, aka Sergio Rangel Jimenez, 49, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced last week to a year in prison for illegal reentry of a removed alien. U.S. District Judge James L. Robart noted that Rangel Jimenez has a history of violence. According to records filed in the case, since 2000, Rangel Jimenez has unlawfully entered the United States seven times after being removed. In 2001, he was removed from the country after receiving a 19-month sentence in Oregon for two counts of felony fourth degree assault and one count of unlawful use of a weapon. Rangel Jimenez has been removed from the country six times in total—2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2016, and 2021.
In January 2024, Homeland Security agents were alerted that Rangel Jimenez was arrested for criminal trespassing and possession of a controlled substance in Snohomish County. Rangel Jimenez was released from state custody on these charges. On December 13, 2025, Rangel Jimenez was arrested for (and later convicted of) domestic violence assault in the fourth degree. The victim reported that he had repeatedly hit her, pulled her hair, and put his hand over her mouth, resulting in visible marks on her body. Just four days after this arrest, he was arrested again for reportedly punching a victim five or six times in the face. The victim was working at the apartment complex where Rangel Jimenez had previously been evicted.
A federal criminal complaint was filed against Rangel Jimenez in January 2026, and he came into federal custody in March 2026.
David Ortiz Tino aka Edward Avalos, 31, a citizen of Guatemala, was sentenced to a year and a day in prison for illegally reentering the United States. In January 2020, Ortiz Tino was arrested in Nebraska for Assault in the First Degree (and later convicted of Disorderly Conduct). In 2021, he was sentenced to three years in prison for two additional convictions for child abuse and assaulting a pregnant woman, during which he caused the victim to lose consciousness. He was removed to Guatemala in January 2023. In March 2025, he was arrested in Snohomish County for domestic violence offenses.
A criminal complaint was filed against Ortiz Tino in January 2026, and he was arrested and brought into federal custody in February 2026.
These cases were investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The cases were prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Cáceres.
Two New Jersey Men Sentenced for Fentanyl Analogue Distribution in Homeland Security Task Force InvestigationRead the Press Release
Two New Jersey men were sentenced this week for their roles in a drug trafficking organization that imported fentanyl analogues from China and distributed them in pill form throughout Northern New Jersey.Nine individuals have been charged and convicted for their roles in this drug trafficking organization. In total, they imported over a metric ton of fentanyl-related substances and other drugs into the United States and sent hundreds of thousands of dollars to China using wire transfers and Bitcoin to pay for the drugs. Thus far, five individuals have been sentenced to a total of 685 months in prison.
On July 7, Sean Tighe, 50, of North Haledon, New Jersey, was sentenced to 151 months in prison. Tighe previously pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl analogue pills and participating in a money laundering conspiracy. Tighe admitted that from approximately March 2014 to September 2020, he conspired to distribute over nine kilograms of furanyl fentanyl and nine kilograms of 4-fluoroisobutyryl fentanyl, synthetic cathinones (also known as bath salts), including ethylone; and ketamine. In addition, from March 2014 to May 2019, Tighe conspired to launder funds, including five wire payments from the United States to China to purchase controlled substances and/or controlled substance analogues.
On July 8, Juan Rodriguez, 51, of Irvington, New Jersey, was sentenced to 60 months in prison. Rodriguez previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl analogues. During the conspiracy, Rodriguez obtained opioid pills from Sean Tighe and distributed them in Northern New Jersey.
Other members of the drug trafficking organization placed orders with a source in China and imported kilogram quantities of various controlled substances and controlled substance analogues to the United States. The drugs arrived through commercial package delivery services and air freight from China and were transported to Newark, New Jersey, where co-conspirators pressed the fentanyl analogue powder into fake prescription pills. The drugs were sold in bulk and pill form directly to consumers and other downstream distributors.
Other members of the conspiracy included Thomas Padovano, 52, of Newark, New Jersey, who pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 234 months in prison; William Panzera, 53, of North Haledon, New Jersey, who was convicted by a jury and sentenced to 144 months in prison; and Michael Action, 51, of Bloomfield, New Jersey, who pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 96 months in prison.
Four other co-conspirators have pleaded guilty in the case and are awaiting sentencing.Bartholomew Padovano is scheduled to be sentenced on July 29. Sentencing dates for the other co-conspirators have not been yet been scheduled.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer for the District of New Jersey, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) made the announcement.
The HSI Newark Field Office the investigation, with assistance from HSI in Philadelphia, the FBI Newark Field Office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service Newark Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection in New Jersey, New York and Kentucky, the Newark Police Department and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Stephen Sola, Chief of the Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit in the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sammi Malek and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Hasapidis-Sferra for the District of New Jersey. Financial Investigator Kathryn Montemorra of MNF supported the investigation.
The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section's (MNF) mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.
MNF’s Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit investigates and prosecutes sophisticated money laundering schemes involving financial facilitators, gatekeepers, and other individuals and entities laundering criminal proceeds, and litigates complex civil forfeiture cases to recover assets on behalf of victims.
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.
Two More Members of Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl Analogue Distribution and Money Laundering ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Two New Jersey men were sentenced this week for their roles in a drug trafficking organization that imported fentanyl analogues from China and distributed them in pill form throughout Northern New Jersey. Nine individuals have been charged and convicted for their roles in this drug trafficking organization. In total, they imported over a metric ton of fentanyl-related substances and other drugs into the United States and sent hundreds of thousands of dollars to China using wire transfers and Bitcoin to pay for the drugs. Thus far, five individuals have been sentenced to a total of 685 months in prison, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer, Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) announced.
On July 7, Sean Tighe, 50, of North Haledon, New Jersey, was sentenced to 151 months in prison. Tighe previously pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl analogue pills and participating in a money laundering conspiracy, before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court. Tighe admitted that from approximately March 2014 to September 2020, he conspired to distribute over nine kilograms of furanyl fentanyl and nine kilograms of 4-fluoroisobutyryl fentanyl, synthetic cathinones (also known as bath salts), including ethylone; and ketamine. In addition, from March 2014 to May 2019, Tighe conspired to launder funds, including five wire payments from the United States to China to purchase controlled substances and/or controlled substance analogues.
On July 8, Juan Rodriguez, 51, of Irvington, New Jersey, was sentenced to 60 months in prison. Rodriguez previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl analogues.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton sentenced both defendants to 5 years of supervised release.
Other members of the drug trafficking organization placed orders with a source in China and imported kilogram quantities of various controlled substances and controlled substance analogues to the United States. The drugs arrived through commercial package delivery services and air freight from China and were transported to Newark, New Jersey, where co-conspirators pressed the fentanyl analogue powder into fake prescription pills. The drugs were sold in bulk and pill form directly to consumers and other downstream distributors.
Other members of the conspiracy included Thomas Padovano, 52, of Newark, New Jersey, who pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 234 months in prison; William Panzera, 53, of North Haledon, New Jersey, who was convicted by a jury and sentenced to 144 months in prison; and Michael Action, 51, of Bloomfield, New Jersey, who pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 96 months in prison.
Four other co-conspirators have pleaded guilty in the case and are awaiting sentencing. Bartholomew Padovano is scheduled to be sentenced on July 29. Sentencing dates for the other co-conspirators have not been yet been scheduled.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From approximately January 2014 through September 2020, members of the drug trafficking organization agreed to import and distribute various controlled substances and controlled substance analogues, including fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, methylone, and ketamine. They received packages and shipping barrels laden with drugs, which arrived through commercial package delivery services and air freight from China. They distributed some of the drugs in bulk, and delivered some to a dilapidated trailer in Newark, where co-conspirators pressed the fentanyl analogues into counterfeit pharmaceutical pills and distributed them. Tighe was among the individuals who distributed the fake pills to customers and other downstream distributers, including Rodriguez.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited the special agents of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) – Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas, with the investigation. He also thanked HSI in Philadelphia, the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Newark Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Newark Police Department, and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office for their assistance.
The government is represented by Senior National Security Counsel Sammi Malek and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Hasapidis-Sferra of the Criminal Division in Newark and Trial Attorney Stephen Sola, Chief of the Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit of the Justice Department’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture (MNF) Section. Financial Investigator Kathryn Montemorra of MNF supported the investigation.
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 Newark comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, IRS and local law enforcement officers with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.
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Defense counsel: Paul Condon, Esq. for Sean Tighe; Anthony Pope for Juan Rodriguez.
Two Individuals Indicted and Arrested for Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On July 1, 2026, a federal grand jury indicted Alejandro Morales-Varela and Gabriel Andrés Vélez-Ramírez on charges for production of child exploitation material, receipt, distribution, and possession of child pornography.
Alejandro Morales-Varela, a 25-year-old man from Arecibo, was arrested via a criminal complaint on June 26, 2026. Gabriel Andrés Vélez-Ramírez, 28-year-old man from Lajas, was arrested on July 8, 2026. Homeland Security Investigations Special Agents arrested both defendants.
According to court documents, from May to June 2026, Morales-Varela and Vélez-Ramírez, aiding and abetting each other, knowingly persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced a 5-year-old male minor, to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing any visual depiction of such conduct using a cellular phone. The defendants are further charged with receipt/distribution and possession of child exploitation material.
“There are no cases more important for the Department of Justice and the Puerto Rico U.S. Attorney’s Office than crimes against children. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate and prosecute anyone who exploits minors for sexual purposes,” said Héctor Ramírez-Carbó, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “Those who engage in child exploitation and create child sexual abuse material will be tracked down and held accountable for their heinous conduct.”
Yariel Ramos, HSI San Juan’s Acting Special Agent in Charge said: “In the past two weeks, HSI San Juan has made six arrests for child exploitation offenses, with suspects ranging in age from 19 to 63 years old, across multiple communities in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These arrests underscore our unwavering commitment to protecting children and holding offenders accountable. With the support of U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force, our agents are able to leverage critical partnerships and resources. The Renewed Hope Act will further equip our agency with advanced tools and increased personnel to identify victims faster and bring perpetrators to justice. We will continue to pursue those who exploit children and ensure their crimes are met with the full force of the law.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elba Gorbea of the Crimes Against Children, Human Trafficking and Immigration Unit, is prosecuting the case. The Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force led by HSI is in charge of the investigation.
If convicted for the charges, the defendants face the following penalties: production of child exploitation material - a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years up to life; receipt and distribution of child pornography - a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 5 years up to 20 years; possession of child pornography - a term of imprisonment of up to 20 years, all charges of conviction to be followed by a term of supervised release after imprisonment of no less than 5 years up to life. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit Know2Protect.gov. To report suspicious activities, call 787-729-6969 or send an email to IntelHSISanJuan@hsi.dhs.gov.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the 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 www.justice.gov/psc.
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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Two Georgians Guilty in Athens Fentanyl, Meth Ring Linked to CartelRead the Press Release
ATHENS, Ga. – A federal jury convicted two Georgia residents for their roles in an armed drug trafficking network linked to a cartel that distributed fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other controlled substances throughout the Athens community, with the Homeland Security Task Force investigation led by FBI resulting in the seizure of more than two dozen firearms.
Firearms seized from Serda’s home and photographs of pounds of methamphetamine stored in Serda’s home in Case 3:25-CR-00010 in U.S. v. Serda.
“This verdict holds these defendants fully accountable for their roles in a cartel-linked criminal organization that distributed fentanyl and other dangerous drugs in Athens and amassed dozens of firearms. Both men now face life in prison for their crimes,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Through close coordination with a dozen law enforcement agencies, the FBI led an investigation that successfully removed the deadliest drugs and firearms from criminal possession, making our neighborhoods safer for everyone.”
“These defendants built a drug trafficking operation that flooded the Athens area with fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other dangerous narcotics while stockpiling an alarming cache of firearms,” said Robert Gibbs, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta's Athens office. "The FBI and our partners will continue pursuing the organizations that profit from addiction and violence, and we will use every available investigative tool to remove these threats from our communities.”
Josue Serda, 26, of Jefferson, Georgia, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, four counts of distribution of fentanyl, one count of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of distribution of methamphetamine on premises where a person under 18 was present, and one count of possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance and faces a maximum of life in prison.
Gregory Robinson, 32, of Athens, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, one count of distribution of fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute oxycodone, and one count of maintaining drug involved premises and faces a maximum of life in prison.
A third defendant, Ariel Collins, 32, of Athens, was found not guilty of one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises.
The trial began on Monday, June 29, and concluded on Wednesday, July 8, before U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self III in Athens. Sentencing dates will be determined by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to the filed indictment, court documents, and statements made in court, FBI led an investigation beginning in 2024 into Serda and Robinson’s criminal activities distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine from a Mexican cartel into the Athens community. For example, in September and October 2024, Serda was recorded distributing fentanyl at least four times.
Serda photographed holding a kilogram of fentanyl (left) and Robinson posing with drug proceeds in Case 3:25-CR-00010 in U.S. v. Serda.
Thirteen enforcement agencies executed search warrants in this case during the early morning hours of Aug. 26, 2025, including at Serda’s home in Jefferson, Georgia. Serda refused to exit the home. Serda is a convicted felon and has a history of threatening law enforcement officers. For instance, on Dec. 18, 2015, Serda was convicted in the Superior Court of Jackson County, Georgia, for terroristic threats. In that case, Serda threatened a police officer, stating he was going to contact “his cartel” to come to the officer’s house to “cut [his] family up.”
Serda with firearm over a sleeping infant in Case 3:25-CR-00010 in U.S. v Serda.
More recently, Serda was arrested on June 20, 2025, by the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office after he and his girlfriend were found passed out in his vehicle with narcotics paraphernalia in plain view and a Glock 9mm pistol in the glovebox. Serda’s comments to the deputy during that incident were captured on video: “You better look up my record bro, I beat police up bro. I been in prison…I ain’t scared of no police bro.”
During the attempt to arrest Serda on Aug. 26, 2025, his girlfriend told FBI SWAT that Serda was informing the cartel in Mexico that the FBI was at his residence. Serda made an outgoing WhatsApp call to his co-defendant and drug supplier in Mexico, Alicio Yanez-Pineda aka “Cochito,” at 6:06 a.m. on the morning of his arrest. Serda informed Yanez-Pineda that the FBI was at his home and that the truck scheduled to deliver narcotics to Serda’s home later in the day should “turn around.”
Serda with a purported grenade launcher in a social media post expressing his loyalty to the cartel in Case 3:25-CR-00010 in U.S. v Serda.
When he was successfully taken into custody, his residence was searched, and he was found to be in possession of numerous weapons, including armor piercing ammunition.
As part of the investigation, law enforcement seized 26 firearms; 26 kilograms of cocaine with an estimated street value of $780,000; 1.7 kilograms of fentanyl with an estimated street value of $60,000; approximately 500 grams of methamphetamine; 5.14 ounces of crack cocaine; 2.4 pounds of marijuana; 128 controlled pharmaceuticals; and $63,532 in cash.
An additional 14 defendants are federally charged in this case. For more information, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/seventeen-charged-alleged-fentanyl-cocaine-distribution-ring-athens. An indictment and criminal complaint are merely allegations of criminal conduct, and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation and prosecution are part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative. The HSTF is a United States government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, transnational gangs, and transnational criminal organizations worldwide. This initiative identifies TCOs engaged in a wide range of criminal schemes that violate federal law, while dismantling cross-border human smuggling and trafficking networks that fuel violence and instability that threaten the safety and security of the United States and its global partners. It also places a particular emphasis on criminal offenses involving children and ensures the use of all available law enforcement tools to prosecute offenders and/or facilitate the removal of criminal aliens from the United States. Atlanta Wilhelm HSTF is comprised of agents and officers from the ATF, CGIS, DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI, IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, DSS, USMS, USPIS, and USSS, as well as numerous state and local agencies, and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia.
The FBI-Athens Middle Georgia Safe Streets Gang Task Force investigated this case in partnership with FBI-Atlanta, FBI-Birmingham, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the Georgia Department of Corrections, the Georgia Department of Community Supervision, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, the Gwinnett County Police Department, the Sandy Springs Police Department, the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office, the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Morrison is prosecuting the case for the Government.
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Twice Convicted Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Willie Davis, 37, of Syracuse, New York, pleaded guilty in federal court on June 24, 2026, to one count of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender and admitted to violating a condition of his supervised release related to his possession of an unmonitored cell phone.
First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Acting United States Marshal Christopher J. Amoia made the announcement.
As part of his guilty plea, Davis admitted that in 2011, he was convicted in of Rape in the Second Degree and sentenced to six months’ imprisonment followed by 10 years’ probation. As a result of this conviction, Davis was also ordered to register as a sex offender in New York. In 2012, Davis was convicted of Coercion and Enticement of a Minor in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York and sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment followed by 20 years of supervised release. He was also required to register as a Sex Offender based on this federal conviction.
“Operation Safe Childhood provides resources and connections to protect our nation’s children, I am thankful to the United States Marshals Service for their efforts in catching this repeat offender,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III. “Due to his continued pattern of disregarding the law and endangering the safety of others, Mr. Davis once again will spend time behind bars, where he cannot pose a threat to the community.”
“The sex offender registration system exists to protect our communities by ensuring accountability and enabling law enforcement to monitor convicted offenders,” said Christopher J. Amoia, Acting United States Marshal for the Northern District of New York. “Individuals who deliberately disregard these legal obligations or violate the conditions of their supervised release will be held accountable.” “The United States Marshals Service will continue working with our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue and apprehend offenders who disregard the law and threaten the safety of our communities.”
In September 2025, Davis was released from custody of the Bureau of Prisons and entered the Residential Reentry Center in Syracuse, New York, as part of his term of federal supervised release. In November 2025, staff at the Residential Reentry Center found an unregistered cell phone in Davis’s possession. Forensic examination of the phone by United States Probation Office revealed that three e-mail addresses were being utilized on the device that had not been registered by Davis as required by law.
At sentencing, currently scheduled for November 18, 2026, in Utica, New York, Davis faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison, a fine up to $250,000, and term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life on his Failure to Register conviction. Davis also faces an additional term of imprisonment based on his admission to a violation of his supervised release term. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The United States Marshals Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Whalen is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Texas Man Sentenced to Prison for Attempting to Rob an ATM in UtahRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Jawuan Donte Thomas, 23, of Texas was sentenced today to 57 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $205,080.00 in restitution after attempting to rob an automated teller machine (ATM) in the District of Utah in 2024 and successfully robbing an ATM in the Cincinnati, Ohio area.
The sentence, imposed by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Tena Campbell comes after Thomas pleaded guilty to attempted bank robbery on June 26, 2025 and bank robbery on May 12, 2026.
According to court documents and statements made at Thomas’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, on December 17, 2024, Thomas attempted to rob a bank ATM in Riverton, Utah. Thomas admitted that prior to the attempted robbery, he and two co-conspirators jammed the ATM, knowing it would cause the machine to malfunction and require the bank to call a technician to repair it. Thomas admitted to waiting in a car near the ATM and watching for the technician to arrive. Upon the technician’s arrival, Thomas and his co-conspirators drove up quickly to the ATM and Thomas jumped out of the vehicle and demanded the money. Because Thomas and his co-conspirators had jammed another ATM in Draper, Utah earlier in the day, FBI agents were staged near the Riverton location in anticipation of a potential robbery. As Thomas approached the ATM technician, FBI agents closed in to thwart the robbery. Thomas attempted to flee on foot but was captured immediately. His co-conspirators fled in the vehicle. Law enforcement seized a screwdriver from Thomas’s possession at the time of his arrest. See prior press release: Texas Man Accused of Attempting to Rob an ATM Technician is Facing Federal Charges in Utah.
While this case was pending, the District of Utah learned that Thomas and two others had been charged in the Southern District of Ohio with bank robbery. Thomas agreed that the Ohio case should be transferred to Utah for disposition. On May 12, 2026, Thomas entered a guilty plea to bank robbery, admitting that he and his co-conspirators successfully robbed an ATM in the Cincinnati, Ohio area utilizing the same strategy they had employed in Utah. Thomas and his co-conspirators stole over $205,000.00 in that robbery. The money has not been recovered.
“Thomas’s scheme to jam the ATM and confront the repairperson placed the ATM technician at great risk. I am grateful for the quick thinking, decisive actions, and strong coordination of our law enforcement partners, whose efforts prevented this robbery from escalating,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “My office remains committed to working alongside our local, state, federal, and Tribal law enforcement agencies to combat violent crime in Utah. Our office extends special thanks to the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio for agreeing to transfer Thomas’ second bank robbery case to Utah for disposition.”
“This attempted ATM robbery put an innocent technician's life at risk, showing Mr. Thomas' total disregard for human safety,” said Salt Lake City FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls. “The FBI and our partners will pursue those who endanger public safety and seek to profit through violent crime.”
The case is being investigated by an FBI Task Force Officer from the South Jordan Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the Riverton City Police Department and the Springfield Township Police Department in Ohio.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
Tallahassee Felon Federally Indicted for Child Exploitation & Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Amontea Allen John Mitchell, 28, of Tallahassee, Florida was indicted by a federal grand jury charging him with attempted enticement of a minor, attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges today.
Mitchell appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for August 24, 2026, at 8:30 am before District Court Judge Mark E. Walker.
If convicted, Mitchell faces a minimum of 10 years’ imprisonment with a maximum term of life imprisonment on the attempted enticement of a minor count, up to 10 years imprisonment on the attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor count, and up to 15 years imprisonment for the possession of a firearm by a convicted felon count.
The case involved a joint investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Tallahassee Police Department, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorneys Emma Schwan and Justin M. Keen are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Sudbury CPA Sentenced for Conspiracy to Defraud the IRS and Pandemic Relief FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The owner of a Sudbury accounting firm and a real estate company was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for paying an executive more than $1.6 million in compensation and fringe benefits under the table, and to making a fraudulent application for more than $179,000 in pandemic relief through a multi-year scheme.
Charles D. Katz, 64, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to two months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. In November 2025, Katz was charged and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and two counts of loan fraud.
Katz and Stephen Hochberg, who served as the Director of Corporate Services at Katz’s accounting firm and as Chief Operating Officer at Katz’s real estate firm, agreed that Katz would pay Hochberg off the books so that Hochberg would have tax-free income and so that Katz’s firms, CD Katz LLC and Gebsco Realty Corporation, would have lower employment taxes. Over time, Katz paid Hochberg’s family, provided rent-free housing to Hochberg’s ex-wife, paid college tuition for Hochberg’s children, and paid personal expenses that Hochberg and his ex-wife charged on corporate credit cards. All told, Katz paid Hochberg at least $1,668,487 in unreported income and avoided taxes of at least $835,105. In 2020, Katz and Hochberg fraudulently applied for Paycheck Protection Program loans for both of Katz’s firms and obtained $179,900, which Katz used in part to fund the under-the-table compensation he paid Hochberg.
Katz and Hochberg’s tax scheme allowed Hochberg to avoid paying Court-ordered restitution to victims of his prior crimes in United States v. Stephen Hochberg, No. 08-cr-10126-NMG. As part of Katz’ sentence, he agreed to pay $333,697.40 in restitution to Hochberg’s prior victims, in addition to restitution of $751,683.62 to the IRS; $83,422 to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue; and $179,500 to the Small Business Administration.
In April 2026, Judge Sorokin sentenced Hochberg to 24 months in prison, to be followed by three years supervised release and $2,888,288 in restitution.
On March 26, 2026, United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the creation of the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, a district-wide initiative established in response to the rampant fraud being uncovered across Massachusetts. The Team is led by two senior federal prosecutors serving as Fraud Coordinators, whose mission it is to aggressively investigate and prosecute misuse of taxpayer-funded benefits in Massachusetts.
Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected benefit fraud in Massachusetts by calling 1-855-SCAM-MA-1 (855-722-6621).
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division is 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.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol E. Head, Chief of the Asset Recovery Unit prosecuted the case.
South Dayton man pleads guilty to enticement for having sex with a 14-year-old girlRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. — U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Ronald A. Howard, 59, of South Dayton, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to enticement of a minor, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life.
Between March 16 and April 10, 2024, Howard, then 57-years-old, communicated via text messaging and Snapchat with a 14-year-old female (Victim), during which the two engaged in sexual conversation and discussed meeting to engage in sexual activity. Howard knew that the Victim was 14 years old. During the conversation, Howard asked the Victim to send him a naked picture, which she did. Subsequently, Howard and the Victim met on two occasions and engaged in sexual activity.
On June 16, 2024, a search warrant was executed at Howard’s residence, during which he admitted to communicating with and having sex with the Victim. Howard also admits to having sexual communications with a 13-year-old female from Arkansas and receiving sexually explicit images from her. In addition, analysis of a cellular telephone seized from Howard revealed sexual communications with an 11-year-old female and her 14-year-old sister.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango. The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Anthony Patrone, and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto.
Sentencing is scheduled for November 6, 2026, before Judge Sinatra.
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South Carolina Woman Pleads Guilty to Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Della Palestino, 60, of Lexington, South Carolina, pleaded guilty today to aggravated identity theft.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between August 23, 2024, and September 26, 2024, Palestino visited four financial institutions in the Southern District of West Virginia and used a different individual’s personal identifying information, including a forged signature, to access that individual’s bank account without the individual’s authorization. Palestino withdrew $2,125 in Huntington on August 23, 2024, $21,920 in Spencer on September 19, 2024, $4,200 in Charleston on September 26, 2024, and $9,400 in Gilbert on September 26, 2024. As part of her guilty plea, Palestino admitted that she conducted all four fraudulent transactions and withdrew a total of $37,645 from the bank accounts of the four individuals. Palestina further admitted that she used a counterfeit passport card during one of the fraudulent withdrawals.
Palestino is scheduled to be sentenced on October 26, 2026, and faces a mandatory two years in prison, up to one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Palestino also owes $37,645 in restitution.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of State-Diplomatic Security Service, the West Virginia State Police, the Huntington Police Department, the Charleston Police Department, and the Gilbert Police Department and the assistance provided by the West Virginia Fusion Center.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer D. Gordon is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-118.
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