title: Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 121 Months in Prison for Conspiracy to Commit Child Sex Trafficking

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced to 121 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to commit child sex trafficking, Acting United States Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced. Soauib Butcher, 31, of Brooklyn, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael E. Farbiarz in Newark federal court to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor. Judge Farbiarz imposed the sentence on November 7, 2025, in Newark federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: In August 2019, Butcher met the victim at a train station and brought her to Elizabeth, New Jersey, where, from August 2019 to January 2020, the victim stayed with Butcher and a co-conspirator in a series of motel rooms. The co-conspirator posted advertisements depicting the victim on escort websites and, together with Butcher, arranged for customers to come to the motels to have sex with the victim in exchange for money. In addition to the prison terms, Judge Farbiarz sentenced Butcher to five years of supervised release. “Soauib Butcher supported himself, for several months, on the daily sexual exploitation of a minor. This sentence sends a message that this Office is committed to protecting children from sexual predators.” - Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba “Sexual exploitation is demeaning, damaging and puts already vulnerable minors in extremely unsafe circumstances,” Stefanie Roddy, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Newark, said. “Butcher profited off of the arrangement he had with this victim. The FBI and its partners work tirelessly so that these minors get the protection they deserve from predators." Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Habba credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy, with the investigation. This investigation was conducted as part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey’s Human Trafficking Task Force, which was formed in 2025. The Task Force brings together federal and state agencies to collaborate and dedicate resources to combat human trafficking and prosecute human trafficking offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The Human Trafficking Task Force is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the Internal Revenue Service. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron L. Webman, Deputy Chief of the Economic Crimes Unit, and Katherine M. Romano, Chief of the General Crimes Unit. ### Defense counsel: Patrick Joyce, Esq., Maplewood, NJ


title: Brooklyn Park Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Multiple Counts of Online Sexual Exploitation

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Charles Anthony Forame, IV, 33, of Brooklyn Park, Maryland, to 20 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for child sexual exploitation charges. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Jaymi Sterling, State’s Attorney for St. Mary’s County; Anthony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County; Robert H. Harvey, State’s Attorney for Calvert County; Anne Colt Leitess, State’s Attorney for Anne Arundel; Sheriff Steven A. Hall, St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office; Sheriff Troy D. Berry, Charles County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO); Sheriff Ricky Cox, Calvert County Sheriff’s Office; and Chief Amal E. Awad, Anne Arundel County Police (AACOPD). According to the guilty plea, Forame used his Snapchat account to meet teenage girls online. Forame then coerced the victims to provide him with explicit images, or in some instances, sexual acts in person. Forame falsely told the girls he was 19 to get them to interact with him. He often promised to provide vapes or marijuana in exchange for explicit images or sex acts. If the victims attempted to end the arrangement, Forame threatened to expose their images. The victims, ages 13-16, were middle-school and high-school students. Forame admitted to engaging in this conduct with nine victims from September 2023, until his arrest in May 2024. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page. U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes commended the FBI, AACOPD, CCSO, St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney’s Office, Charles County State’s Attorney’s Office, Calvert County State’s Attorney’s Office, Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office, St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, and Calvert County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn who is prosecuting the federal case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: New York Woman and Federal Inmate Charged with Contraband Offenses

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that an Indictment was returned by a grand jury charging Primativa Soto-Martinez, age 35, with providing contraband to an inmate and Forrest Gilmore, age 30, with possession of contraband by an inmate. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the Indictment alleges that on or about July 6, 2025, at the Federal Correctional Institution-Schuylkill in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, Soto-Martinez, a New York resident, provided and attempted to provide Forrest Gilmore, a federal inmate, with two bundles containing buprenorphine, a Schedule III controlled substance. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Federal Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Service. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum R. Wilson is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Georgia Felon Pleads Guilty to Possession of Firearm and Ammunition

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Norcross, Georgia, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating a federal firearms law, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced. Michael Allen Barnes, 42, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV to a one-count Indictment charging Barnes with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on April 11, 2024, law enforcement arrested Barnes in downtown Pittsburgh on an outstanding Georgia arrest warrant. From the waistband of the defendant’s pants, law enforcement recovered a chambered pistol which was loaded with approximately nine rounds of ammunition. Barnes was previously convicted of burglary in Gwinnett County, Georgia. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon. Judge Stickman scheduled Barnes’ sentencing for March 30, 2026. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States. The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police’s Fugitive Apprehension Unit and United States Marshals Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Barnes. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Erie Resident Pleads Guilty to Possessing and Distributing Methamphetamine

body_text: JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal narcotics laws, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Shawn Geer, 49, pleaded guilty to Count One of the Indictment before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on or about July 2, 2023, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Geer possessed with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine. Judge Haines scheduled sentencing for March 24, 2026. The law provides for a total maximum sentence of not less than five years and up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $5 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Geer.


title: Luzerne County Clothing Store Owner Sentenced to Over 20 Years of Imprisonment for Drug Trafficking

body_text: SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on November 21, 2025, United States District Judge Robert D. Mariani sentenced James Rodriguez, Jr. a/k/a “Mack Mulla,” age 33, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, to 242 months’ imprisonment for drug trafficking. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, on June 24, 2025, a jury convicted Rodriguz on nine counts of a superseding indictment charging conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 1.3 kilograms of fentanyl and 8.5 kilograms of marijuana between January 2021 and January 2022. During the conspiracy, Rodriguez operated Mulla Fashion, a clothing store, which included a recording studio, located on Scott Street in Wilkes-Barre. Rodriguez used the store as a front to sell fentanyl and marijuana to users and other street level drug dealers. In January 2021, Rodriguez travelled to Mexico to meet with MS-13 gang members, who supplied him with kilograms of fentanyl for distribution. Rodriguez also kept a stash house in Wilkes-Barre Township for storage of drugs. On January 20, 2022, a search warrant was executed at this stash house and law enforcement seized 159 grams of fentanyl, 400 grams of marijuana, two handguns and a shotgun. Law enforcement also seized 800 grams of marijuana, 37 grams of fentanyl, a ballistics vest, and a handgun from Mulla Fashion. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Kingston Police Department and the Luzerne County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jenny P. Roberts and Kyle Moreno prosecuted the case. # # #


title: New Jersey Man Charged with Using Fraudulent FDA Documents to Defraud Investors in Vaping Business

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A New Jersey man was charged with using counterfeit FDA documents purporting to authorize the marketing and sale of vaping products to defraud investors in a vaping company, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced. Mohammad Abuhadba, 42, of Wayne, New Jersey, was charged by Indictment with two counts of wire fraud and three counts of use of counterfeit seal of federal agency. He appeared on November 19, 2025, for an arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge José R. Almonte and was released on $100,000 unsecured bond. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Abuhadba persuaded two individuals to invest in and co-own a vaping company by misrepresenting to them that Abuhadba had applied for and obtained authorization from the FDA to market and sell tobacco products, including e-cigarette and vaping products, in the United States. In reality, Abuhadba never applied for or received such FDA authorization, and he instead created doctored FDA authorization documents using counterfeit agency seals that he provided to those investors. After Abuhadba convinced the investors to begin investing in the vaping company, he repeatedly lied to them about the status of the company’s FDA authorization to induce them to invest more money. He also doctored a letter he received from the FDA to further disguise that he did not have any FDA authorization to market and sell tobacco products in the United States. Each charge of wire fraud carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Each charge of use of a counterfeit seal of a federal agency carries a maximum potential penalty of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Habba credited special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charges. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica R. Ecker and Garrett J. Schuman of the Health Care Fraud and Opioids Enforcement Unit in Newark. ### Defense counsel: John Yauch, Esq. abuhadba.indictment.pdf


title: Three Former Executives for Magellan Diagnostics Sentenced for False Statements and FDCA Violations

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – The former CEO, COO and Director of Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs for Magellan Diagnostics, Inc. (Magellan), a medical device company headquartered in Billerica, Mass., have been sentenced in federal court in Boston for concealing a device malfunction that produced inaccurately low lead test results for thousands of children and other patients. Amy Winslow, 54, of Needham, Mass., was sentenced on Oct. 27, 2025 by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to one year of home detention. Winslow was also ordered to pay a $10,000 fine. In March 2025, Winslow pleaded guilty to one felony count of introduction of misbranded medical devices into interstate commerce. Hossein Maleknia, 66, of Bonita Springs, Fla., was sentenced by Judge Saris on Oct. 30, 2025 to nine months of home detention. Maleknia was also ordered to pay a $20,000 fine. In March 2025, Maleknia pleaded guilty to two felony counts of introduction of misbranded medical devices into interstate commerce. On Nov. 21, 2025, Reba Daoust, 69, of Amesbury, Mass., was sentenced by Judge Saris to one year of probation, with the first six months to be served in home detention. Daoust was also ordered to pay a $600 fine. In March 2025, Daoust pleaded guilty to one felony count of making false statements. Magellan’s LeadCare II and LeadCare Ultra devices detected lead levels and lead poisoning in the blood of children and adults using either venous (i.e. blood draws through the arm) or fingerstick samples. LeadCare II, which was predominantly used to test fingerstick samples, accounted for more than half of all blood lead tests conducted in the United States from 2013 through 2017. LeadCare Ultra was predominantly used to test venous samples. Winslow, Maleknia and Daoust – Magellan’s former CEO, COO and Director of Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs, respectively – misled Magellan customers and the FDA about a serious malfunction that affected Magellan’s LeadCare devices when they were used to test venous blood samples. By hiding the malfunction and later misleading customers and the FDA about when they discovered the malfunction, the nature, extent and frequency of the malfunction, as well as the risks associated with the malfunction, the defendants caused an estimated thousands of children and other patients to receive inaccurately low lead test results. “These defendants knowingly misled the FDA about a device malfunction that caused thousands of children and adults to receive inaccurate blood lead test results. They understood the risks: that patients could receive falsely low readings, when their actual blood lead levels met or exceeded CDC intervention thresholds. They knew this failure could delay critical care, allow continued lead exposure and endanger the health of vulnerable families. Yet they chose to conceal the truth, prioritizing corporate profits, job security, and personal gain over patient safety. Regardless of the sentences imposed, their actions jeopardized the wellbeing of thousands,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “We will continue to uncover and prosecute those who violate the public’s trust and put public health at risk.” “Individuals and companies whose lead testing devices produce inaccurate results can put the health of all patients, especially vulnerable children, at significant risk,” said Fernando McMillian, Special Agent in Charge, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, New York Field Office. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who endanger public health and safety.” “Misleading consumers and federal regulators about a significant flaw in a medical device to boost your company’s bottom line is reprehensible. These three executives did exactly that, and in the process ignored the well-being of thousands of children and other patients who received inaccurate test results of the lead levels in their blood,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Their egregious conduct victimized vulnerable patients and eroded their trust in our healthcare system. The FBI is gratified all involved are being held accountable.” “These three former executives deliberately concealed a known defect in medical devices used to detect lead poisoning—a condition with potentially irreversible consequences,” said Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. “The criminal sentences announced today mark an important step toward justice for the thousands of children and vulnerable patients who were put at risk by the corrupt actions of these defendants.” The FDA ultimately found that the LeadCare devices could not accurately test venous samples, leading to a recall of all LeadCare devices using venous samples and a warning to the public not to use the devices for venous blood samples because of the malfunction. According to court documents, as referenced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is no safe level of lead in the blood. Lead exposure may cause irreversible lifelong physical and mental health problems. Young children and pregnant women are most vulnerable to lead exposure, especially those from low-income households and those who live in housing built before 1978 because those homes are more likely to contain lead-based paint and have fixtures containing lead. U.S. Attorney Foley, FDA-OCI SAC McMillan, FBI SAC Docks and HHS-OIG SAC Coviello made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leslie Wright and Mackenzie A. Queenin of the Health Care Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Bahamian Man Charged with Passport Fraud

body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Victor Charles Gibson, age 79, of the Bahamas, was indicted on November 18, 2025, by a federal grand jury for passport fraud and making a false claim to United States citizenship. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that on or about March 29, 2025, in Carbon County, Pennsylvania, the defendant Victor Charles Gibson, a citizen of the Bahamas, did knowingly make a false statement in an application for a United States Passport and represented himself to be a citizen of the United States. This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of State. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum Wilson is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiate that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is thirteen years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. ###


title: Union County Teacher Sentenced to 275 Months in Prison For Producing Child Pornography

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey, man who was employed as a New Jersey high school teacher, was sentenced to 275 months in prison for producing child pornography, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced. Michael Hamilton, 53, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Christine P. O’Hearn to an Information charging him with one count of producing child pornography. Judge O’Hearn imposed the sentence in Camden federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Hamilton admitted to meeting a minor victim and engaging in sexual conduct with that victim, which Hamilton recorded on video. Law enforcement seized a copy of that video during the search of his home in October 2023. Hamilton also admitted to receiving and possessing sexually explicit messages, pictures, and videos of two other minor victims. In addition to the prison term, Judge O’Hearn sentenced Hamilton to 10 years of supervised release, and to pay restation of $5,000 to a victim. “There is no higher responsibility than safeguarding the welfare of our children. The defendant took advantage of children for his own sexual desires. We will continue to protect children and bring justice to sexual predators. I commend the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and our law enforcement partners for their critical work reaching this result.” - Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba Acting U.S. Attorney Habba credited FBI Newark’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy, with the investigation. Acting U.S. Attorney Habba also thanked the Springfield Police Department and the Union County Prosecutor’s Office. 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 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/psc . The government is represented by Rebecca Sussman of the Narcotics and International Trafficking Unit and Robert Taj Moore of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark. ### Defense counsel: Randy Davenport, Esq.


title: TWO HAVANA BROTHERS PLEAD GUILTY TO  POSSESSION OF FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION BY CONVICTED FELON

component: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Nicholas Wayne Finley, 37, and Jason Dean Atkinson, 43, both of Havana, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon. The pleas were announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the close collaboration between our local and federal law enforcement partners, these repeat offenders have been stopped from continuing to menace our streets and now face substantial prison time. My office will aggressively pursue criminals, like these men, who threaten the safety of our communities.” Court documents reflect that federal law enforcement executed a search warrant at the two brothers’ residence on July 10, 2025. Officers found nine firearms in Finley’s bedroom along with numerous types of ammunition. Atkinson was found with a round of .45 caliber ammunition in his pocket, and a .45 caliber 1911-style firearm with obliterated manufacturer’s markings and additional ammunition was found in Atkinson’s trailer. Finley had multiple prior felony convictions from Iowa, while Atkinson had a prior federal conviction for conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug-trafficking, along with two Florida convictions for possession of methamphetamine. Both men face up to 15 years in prison. The case involved a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Havana Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain. Sentencing is scheduled for December 22, 2025, at 10:00 am at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before United States District Judge Robert L. Hinkle. 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. As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney’s Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Maryland Woman and Federal Inmate Charged with Contraband Offenses

body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that an Indictment was returned by a grand jury charging Alita Stewart, age 51, with providing contraband to an inmate and Hugh Berry, age 41, with possession of contraband by an inmate. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the Indictment alleges that on or about August 17, 2025, at the Federal Correctional Institution-Schuylkill in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, Stewart, a Maryland residence, provided and attempted to provide Hugh Berry, a federal inmate, with a purple bundle containing a mixture or substance containing marijuana. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Federal Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Service. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum R. Wilson is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: MISSISSIPPI MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO FEDERAL CHILD EXPLOITATION CRIMES

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Ladarrius Rasheed Martin, 38, of Ridgeland, Mississippi, pleaded guilty to distribution and receipt of child pornography, and interstate travel with intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our state and federal law enforcement partners work tirelessly to identify and intercept predators like this defendant who seek to exploit and victimize our children, and I deeply appreciate their efforts that led to this successful prosecution. My office will continue to prosecute such offenders to the fullest extent of the law to keep our children safe.” Court records reflect that the defendant frequently travelled from Mississippi to Pensacola, Florida, to engage in sexual activity with a minor from September 2023 to June 2024. During the investigation, law enforcement obtained social media records of messages exchanged between the defendant and the minor victim. The records confirmed the exchange of child pornography as well as communications demonstrating the defendant’s regular travel from Mississippi to Pensacola to engage in sexual acts with a minor. Sentencing is scheduled for January 13, 2026, at 1:00 pm at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers. Martin faces up to 70 years imprisonment, a lifetime supervised release, and up to a $750,000 fine, and restitution. The plea was the result of an investigation by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey M. Tharp. 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 and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . 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 http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Maine Man Charged with Trafficking Multiple Kilos of Cocaine Delivered in Rhode Island

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A Maine man who allegedly supplied multiple kilos of cocaine that were trafficked into Rhode Island appeared in federal court in Rhode Island on November 18, 2025, and was arraigned on an indictment issued by the Grand Jury. He was ordered detained, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. Evert Delgado-Menjivar, 31, arrested at his Westbrook, ME, home on September 9, 2025, was indicted on charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and distribution of cocaine, and two counts of distribution of cocaine 500 grams or more. Court documents reflect that in July 2025, members of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) learned of a person looking to sell multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine. In August of 2025, a co-defendant is alleged to have distributed kilogram quantities of cocaine on Delgado-Menjivar’s behalf. A federal criminal indictment is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The sentence imposed in this matter will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey A. Erickson. The matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.


title: Two Marshalltown Brothers Sentenced to Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: DES MOINES, Iowa – Two Marshalltown brothers were sentenced on October 3, 2025, to federal prison for conspiracy to distribute heroin. According to public court documents, Marcel Edmund Oden, 53, and his co-defendant brother, Jerry Juan Oden, 56, distributed more than 100 grams of heroin in the Marshalltown community for at least three years. Marcel Oden had prior state convictions for assault-related conduct. At the time of the offense, Jerry Oden was on state parole for 2018 convictions for delivery of heroin and possession of marijuana with the intent to deliver, and 2014 convictions for possession of heroin with intent to deliver and prohibited person in possession of a firearm. Marcel Oden was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison, followed by a five-year term of supervised release, and a $20,000 fine. Jerry Oden was sentenced to a 12 year prison term, followed by a four-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. These cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jonathon Holscher and investigated by the Mid-Iowa Drug Task Force and Marshalltown Police Department.


title: Federal Inmate at USP Canaan Convicted of Voluntary Manslaughter

body_text: SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Bryant Wilson, a federal prisoner, was convicted on November 18, 2025, of voluntary manslaughter and possession of a prohibited weapon in prison following a two-day jury trial before Senior United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Wilson was an inmate at the United States Penitentiary at Canaan in Waymart, Pennsylvania. On November 28, 2021, Wilson was walking in one of the housing units within the prison when another inmate started a fight with him. Wilson quickly grabbed a seven-inch shank out his pocket and began attacking the other inmate. Over the approximately one-minute fight, Wilson stabbed the other inmate at least 15 times about his upper body, causing severe damage to the inmate’s vital organs. The inmate died of sharp force injuries within minutes of the attack. Wilson claimed he was acting in self-defense. The prison video of the fight, however, depicted Wilson chasing the other inmate with a shank and stabbing him several times as the other inmate repeatedly tried to get away from him. The charges stem from an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Prisons, Special Investigative Services and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Kyle A. Moreno and Gerard T. Donahue prosecuted the case. Upon conviction, Wilson faces a maximum penalty of twenty years’ imprisonment. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. # # #


title: MEXICAN NATIONAL PLEADS GUILTY TO PASSPORT FRAUD AND IDENTITY THEFT

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Carlos Dominguez Lopez, 36, a Mexican national residing in Pensacola, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to false statement in application and use of passport and aggravated identity theft. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This defendant tried to lie, cheat, and steal his way into unlawfully remaining in our country, but thanks to the outstanding work by our federal law enforcement partners he will face justice before being swiftly deported. My office remains committed to aggressively enforcing our immigration laws with as many successful prosecutions as it takes to ensure our border is secure and our communities are safe from criminal aliens.” Court documents reflect that in July of 2022, the defendant purported to be another individual and executed a United States passport application at the Escambia County Clerk of Court Office. The defendant provided a birth certificate and identification card in the other individual’s name, without that person’s permission. After the false statements were made, a United States passport was issued to the defendant. Lopez faces up to ten years of imprisonment and two years’ imprisonment as a minimum mandatory sentence consecutive. The case involved an investigation by the United States Department of State. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton. Sentencing is scheduled for February 10, 2026, at 11:00am at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Red Oak Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Child and Possession of Child Pornography

body_text: COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Red Oak man was sentenced on November 21, 2025, to 27 years in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child pornography. According to public court documents, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received CyberTips that an account, later determined to be associated with Tracy Brian Schooling, 51, uploaded files containing child sexual abuse material. Law enforcement seized electronic devices during a search of Schooling’s Red Oak residence. A forensic examination of the seized electronic devices showed that Schooling used the devices to possess images and videos and produce images containing child sexual abuse material. In total, Schooling possessed more than 300 videos and 300 images containing child sexual abuse material. After completing his term of imprisonment, Schooling will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Schooling was also ordered to pay $27,000 in restitution. United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Iowa Department of Public Safety-Division of Criminal Investigation-Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Child Exploitation Task Force, with assistance from the Red Oak Police Department. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.


title: New Jersey Pharmacy Owner Pleads Guilty to Health Care Fraud Scheme Involving Billing Medicare for Undispensed Medication

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A New Jersey pharmacy owner pleaded guilty to health care fraud, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced. Nestor E. Jaime, 37, of Pine Brook, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on November 19, 2025, to an Indictment charging him with one count of health care fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1347, before U.S. district Judge Katharine S. Hayden in Newark federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From December 2019 to December 2021, Jaime, through a pharmacy he owned located in Paterson, New Jersey, submitted hundreds of false claims to Medicare for a high reimbursement ( i.e. , more than $4,000 per prescription) medication called Dificid, which the pharmacy never actually purchased or dispensed. Jaime submitted false claims on behalf of dozens of Medicare beneficiaries who never were prescribed any Dificid. To make it appear as though the Medicare beneficiaries’ health care providers had prescribed the medication, Jaime falsely included the providers’ unique provider numbers on the fraudulent claims. As a result of the scheme, Medicare paid Jaime reimbursements for false claims for Dificid totaling at least approximately $2.5 million, which Jaime spent on luxury vehicles and other personal expenditures. The charge of health care fraud carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Health and Human Services Agency Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charge. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica R. Ecker and Kruti Dharia of the Health Care Fraud and Opioids Enforcement Unit in Newark. ### Defense counsel: Anthony Iacullo, Esq. jamie.indictment.pdf


title: Four Individuals Plead Guilty to Conspiracies to Misappropriate Funds of Non-Profit Organization Serving the Homeless

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Earlier today, at the federal court in Brooklyn, Luis Camarena pleaded guilty to a conspiracy kickback scheme. Camarena received revenue from contracts to install surveillance cameras at homeless shelters run by a non-profit organization (the “Organization”). He conspired to pay a portion of that revenue to the employees of the Organization who authorized the payments to his business. The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Hector Gonzalez. When sentenced, Camarena faces up to five years’ imprisonment. Camarena is the fourth and final defendant to plead guilty in this case. Earlier this month, Camarena’s co-defendants Gary DSilva, Jonathan Velazquez, and Pradeep Nigam each pleaded guilty to the same or similar charges. DSilva and Velazquez were employees of the Organization, who authorized payments to Camarena and to Nigam, whose businesses provided security cameras and information-technology services, respectively, to the Organization. DSilva, Velazquez, and Nigam each also face up to five years’ imprisonment at their respective sentencings. The defendants have also agreed as part of their pleas to pay a total of $1,025,647.78 in restitution to the Organization. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Jocelyn E. Strauber, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (DOI); and Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the guilty pleas. “Camerena’s schemes enriched himself, DSilva, and Velazquez at the expense of the non-profit Organization, showing glaring disrespect towards the honest work of others,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Our Office remains committed to seeking justice for all victims of bribery and kickback schemes and prosecuting those who perpetrate such offenses.” “These four defendants enriched themselves at the expense of a City-funded nonprofit; two employees of the organization pocketed kickbacks in exchange for steering contracts worth millions to the businesses of two co-conspirators,” stated DOI Commissioner Strauber. “With today’s guilty plea, all four defendants have now acknowledged their involvement in a scheme to steal funds intended to support City programs. I thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the New York Office of the FBI for their continued partnership and commitment to protect public funds.” As alleged in the superseding indictment and discussed in court proceedings and other documents, DSilva and Velazquez were employed in the Management Information Systems department of the Organization, which is based in Brooklyn. The Organization supplied a number of services to indigent New Yorkers, including administering multiple homeless shelters. DSilva and Velazquez, as part of their work for the Organization, were responsible for soliciting vendors to complete various projects involving information technology and approving payments to those vendors. DSilva and Velazquez entered into two separate schemes to enrich themselves at the expense of the Organization. In the first scheme, they agreed to steer contracts for the installation of surveillance cameras at homeless shelters operated by the Organization to Camarena’s business in exchange for a share of the profits. Neither DSilva nor Velazquez ever disclosed their secret interest in Camarena’s business to the Organization. In the second, DSilva and Velazquez entered into a similar agreement with Nigam, in which DSilva and Velazquez received a share of the profits from Nigam’s business in exchange for authorizing payments from the Organization to that business. In one instance, DSilva, using a personal email account, sent to Nigam an invoice for Nigam’s business to submit to the Organization. As part of the conspiracy, Nigam regularly sent money to companies in the names of relatives of DSilva and Velazquez. In total, DSilva and Velazquez authorized approximately $1.6 million in payments from the Organization to Camarena’s business and approximately $1.9 million from the Organization to Nigam’s business during the operation of the schemes. As part of the pleas, DSilva and Velazquez each agreed to forfeit approximately $714,000; Nigam agreed to forfeit approximately $413,000; and Camarena agreed to forfeit approximately $224,000. These figures correspond to the illicit proceeds received by the defendants from the schemes. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Turner Buford and Laura Zuckerwise are in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Johnson Peow. The Defendants : GARY DSILVA (also known as “Pankaj Dsilva”) Age: 47 Manalapan, NJ JONATHAN VELAZQUEZ Age: 55 Massapequa Park, NY LUIS A. CAMARENA Age: 58 Bronx, NY PRADEEP NIGAM Age: 63 Edison, NJ E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-471 (S-1) (HG)


title: Arizona Man Sentenced to More than Seven Years for Defrauding 54 Victims in Investment Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Anthonie Ruinard, Jr., 40, of Chandler, was sentenced on November 17, 2025, by United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to 87 months in custody followed by three years of supervised release. Ruinard previously pleaded guilty to Wire Fraud. Ruinard was also ordered to pay $4,508,057 in restitution to the victims in this case. “Fraudsters actively prey on communities to steal hard earned money by using trust and false promises for their own greed and benefit” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “This sentence demonstrates that not only will scammers be held accountable financially, they will also face significant time in jail. The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to prosecute these crimes in order to protect the honest work of those who build their lives here in Arizona.” Anthonie Ruinard scammed 54 victims out of more than $5.6 million through an investment fraud scheme under the guise of a business called Legacy Investors Group Inc. Ruinard falsely portrayed himself as a successful investor and promised victim-investors guaranteed rates of return through investments in venture capital, private equity, and real estate. While some of the early victim-investors received some initial payments to perpetuate the fraud, others lost their entire investment. Throughout the scheme, Ruinard and his associates made excuses as to why the victim-investors were not receiving their payments, including “wire problems,” an unprecedented market, and the war in Ukraine. He also sent an email to victim-investors with a screen shot falsely representing that he controlled an account with a balance of over $470 million. Ruinard largely spent the victims’ money himself, including on luxury vehicles (for example, the purchase of an armored vehicle for $344,000), general living expenses, casino gambling, credit card payments, and rental expenses. “This sentencing sends a clear and unmistakable message: individuals who engage in financial fraud for personal gain will be held accountable,” said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge, Heith Janke. “The FBI, together with our law enforcements partners, will continue to identify, investigate and pursue those who orchestrate criminal schemes for their own profit. We remain committed to protecting the public and safeguarding the integrity of our financial system.” The Federal Bureau of Investigation – Phoenix Division conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: CR-24-01904-PHX-SMB RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-167_Ruinard # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Former U.S. Postal Service Employee Sentenced To 30 Months For Possessing A Firearm As An Unlawful Drug User

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Harvey E. Schlesinger has sentenced Bryan Byers (58, Jacksonville) to 30 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by an unlawful drug user. Bryan Byers pleaded guilty on July 10, 2025. According to court documents, a convicted felon was arrested with a Taurus 9mm pistol, which police learned had been purchased by Byers. The felon indicated that he got the firearm from Byers in exchange for crack cocaine, and that the sale was facilitated by a sex worker who would often set up deals where Byers would sell firearms to drug dealers in exchange for drugs. Law enforcement reviewed text messages between Byers and the sex worker, which demonstrated that Byers had been selling his prescription drugs, agreeing to sell firearms in exchange for drugs, and paying for sex work with money or drugs. On April 2, 2025, federal agents executed a search warrant at Byers’ residence and seized multiple firearms, including a Marlin .22 caliber rifle; a Norinco 7.62 x 39mm rifle with a large capacity magazine; a Palmetto State Arms 9mm pistol; two firearm frame/receivers; multiple rounds of assorted ammunition; and used crack (cocaine) pipes. The day after agents executed the search warrant and seized the firearms, Byers went to a licensed firearms dealer in Jacksonville and attempted to purchase another firearm. However, agents arrested Byers before he was able to make the purchase. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelli Swaney. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: New Jersey Resident and Business Owner Sentenced to 12 Months in Prison for Evading Over $3.4 Million in Taxes

body_text: CAMDEN, N.J. – A Gloucester County, New Jersey man was sentenced to 12 months in prison for willfully evading more than $3,400,000 of taxes, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced. Jose Camilo Perez, Jr., 54, of Sewell, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty on November 20, 2025, before Chief U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb to an Information charging him with one count of tax evasion. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Perez controlled a company that digitized medical records for hospitals and other healthcare entities. From 2016 through 2023, the business received more than $8,000,000 for the services it performed. Perez attempted to evade the assessment of federal income taxes by cashing checks payable to the business at a check cashing business rather than depositing those checks into the business’s bank account or his personal bank account, and then he used the cash for personal expenses and to pay payroll. From 2016 through 2023, Perez did not report any of the income he received from the business to the IRS. As a result, Perez evaded income taxes of more than $3,400,000. Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan in Newark, with the investigation leading to this sentencing. In addition to the prison term, Chief Judge Bumb sentenced Perez to 3 years of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution in the amount of $3,434,066. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel A. Friedman and Josephine J. Park of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Camden. ### Defense counsel: Brian J. McMonagle Esq., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania


title: Avonmore Resident Pleads Guilty to Producing and Possessing Images of Minor Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct

body_text: JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A resident of Avonmore, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal sex offense laws, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Kenneth Bee, 54, pleaded guilty to Counts One through Four of the Indictment before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, over a several year period, Bee produced images of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Further, in and around September 2022, Bee possessed images of prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Judge Haines scheduled sentencing for March 24, 2026. The law provides for a maximum sentence of not less than 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. Homeland Security Investigations and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Bee. Other agencies involved include the Armstrong County District Attorney’s Office and the Indiana County District Attorney’s Office. This case was brought as a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: South African National Convicted of Passport Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – A federal jury in Miami convicted a South African national on Oct. 15 of making a false statement on a passport application and committing aggravated identity theft. According to the evidence presented at trial, Vasudevan Pillay, 68, first entered the United States in 1985 on a six-month tourist visa. Upon his arrival, Pillay stole the identity of a U.S. citizen who had died decades earlier as a toddler. Evidence introduced at trial showed that Pillay obtained the victim’s birth certificate and, using the stolen identity, secured a Social Security number and Florida driver license in the victim’s name. On Nov. 28, 2023, Pillay fraudulently applied for a U.S. passport using the victim’s name. “For nearly forty years, this defendant lived under a lie,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “He stole the identity of a deceased child, defrauded the government, and tried to pass himself off as an American citizen. This conviction restores accountability and reaffirms that the rule of law still matters.” Pillay faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for the false statement on a passport application count and a mandatory two-year prison term for aggravated identity theft, which must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Pillay is subject to removal after he is sentenced. U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan McSeveney of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Miami Field Office made the announcement. The DSS Miami Field Office is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ilana Malkin and Tim Farina are prosecuting the case. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 25-cr-20260. ###


title: Group of Pennsylvania-Based Car Companies Settle Matter Alleging Receipt of Improper CARES Act Loans

body_text: Newark, N.J. – Five companies based in Bucks County, Pennsylvania entered into a settlement agreement with the United States resolving allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by taking Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans to which they were not entitled, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced. According to the allegations in the complaint and the contentions of the United States in the settlement agreement: In April 2020, Fred Beans Holdings, Inc.; Auto Express Enterprises, Inc.; Autorent of Doylestown Inc.; McCafferty Autorent Inc.; and Noble Advertising, Inc. (together, “the Defendants”) each applied for and received approximately $973,395 in PPP loans. Under the eligibility rules in effect at the time, businesses with more than 500 employees, inclusive of their affiliates, were not eligible for PPP loans. In their respective loan applications, the Defendants certified that they were eligible for their loans. However, the Defendants were ineligible for their loans because, inclusive of their affiliates, they had more than 500 employees. After receiving their PPP loans, Defendants sought and received forgiveness of the total amount of the loans plus interest that had accrued. Defendants fully cooperated in the investigation and resolution of this matter. In accordance with the terms of the settlement agreement, Defendants will pay the United States $1,427,869. The settlement resolves a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties, called relators, to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. In this matter, the relator is receiving $142,786 as the share. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David V. Simunovich of the Health Care Fraud and Opioids Enforcement Unit in Newark. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Forsyth v. Fred Beans Holdings, Inc., et al. , 25-2324 (D.N.J.). ### Counsel for Ulma Form Works, Inc.: Denise Branch, Esq., Raleigh, NC Counsel for Relator Aidan Forsyth: Eric Jaso, Esq., Montclair, NJ fbp.agreement.pdf


title: 78th Defendant Charged in Feeding Our Future Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: ST. PAUL – Abdirashid Bixi Dool, age 36, was charged in a seven-count indictment with wire fraud and money laundering for his participation in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. Dool made his initial appearance this afternoon in federal court. Dool is the 78 th defendant charged in the largest Covid-19 fraud scheme in the country. Dool co-operated and served on the boards of two Minnesota non-profits, Bilaal Mosque Inc. and Multicultural Resource Center Inc (MRC). Dool also served as the President of MRC. Through those companies, Dool and a second person identified in the indictment as “Conspirator A” participated in the Federal Child Nutrition Program under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. Dool and Conspirator A purported to operate two food sites—the Bilaal food site in Pelican Rapids, Minnesota, and the MRC food site in Moorhead, Minnesota. As set forth in the indictment, at those sites, Dool falsely claimed to be serving over 40,000 meals to children every week. Through the Bilaal site alone, Dool claimed to serve 6,000 meals to children every day, seven days a week. That daily figure is more than double the entire population—children and adults—of the outstate town that is home is Bilaal. In support of his false claims, Dool submitted fraudulent invoices, purporting to detail the food purchased by Bilaal and MRC to feed hungry children. In reality, Dool purchased very little food. Dool also submitted phony rosters purporting to list the names of the hungry children who he fed at his meal sites. These rosters were also fake. Between March 2021 and February 2022, Bilaal and MRC received about $1.1 million in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds from Feeding Our Future. However, little of this money was used by Dool to purchase food. Instead, Dool and Conspirator A laundered most of the taxpayer dollars to their families and to themselves. Dool used his cut of the fraud proceeds to travel and to buy real estate in Minnesota. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson, Harry M. Jacobs, and Daniel W. Bobier are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Title Company Owner and Real Estate Investor Admit Mortgage Fraud, COVID-19 Relief Program Fraud Schemes

body_text: CAMDEN, N.J. – Two New Jersey residents admitted participating in a multimillion dollar mortgage fraud scheme and one of the individuals also admitted fraudulently obtaining more than $1.8 million of federal Economic Injury Disaster Loans, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced. Mendel Deutsch, 39, of Toms River, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on November 13, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Edward S. Kiel to one count of bank and wire fraud conspiracy and one count of wire fraud. Joshua Feldberger, 43, of Howell, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on October 22, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Edward S. Kiel to one count of bank fraud conspiracy. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: In June 2020, co-defendant Arthur Spitzer conspired with Deutsch and Feldberger to make it appear as if Spitzer owned three properties in Brooklyn, New York and agreed to sell them to Deutsch, who obtained a $4.5 million mortgage loan in connection with the transaction. Feldberger facilitated the fraudulent transaction as the owner of the settlement company that handled the transaction. The defendants created and sent letters stating that Deutsch had deposited significant funds into escrow toward the transaction, when in reality he had not; they created fake documentation purportedly transferring control of the properties to Spitzer; and they lied to the mortgage lender by stating that the settlement company had received more than $2 million from Deutsch at closing, which led the mortgage lender to fund the loan. The defendants then used the mortgage loan proceeds to fund Deutsch’s down payment, which he had supposedly already provided. Further, in 2020 and 2021, Deutsch fraudulently obtained approximately $1.8 million of government loans that were intended for small businesses distressed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act is a federal law enacted in March 2020 and was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to provide Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) of up to $2 million to eligible small businesses that were experiencing substantial financial disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To obtain an EIDL loan, a qualifying small business was required to submit an application and provide information on its operations, including the number of employees and revenues or expenses. Deutsch obtained EIDL loans for businesses that had little or no operations by submitting loan applications that included false statements about the applicant companies’ number of employees, revenues, cost of goods sold, or lost rents. The counts of bank fraud conspiracy and bank and wire fraud conspiracy are punishable by a maximum of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. The count of wire fraud is punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Feldberger is scheduled to be sentenced on February 23, 2026, and Deutsch is scheduled to be sentenced on March 16, 2026. Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark; special agents of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan in Newark; and special agents of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Patricia Tarasca, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Regional Office, with the investigation leading to these guilty pleas. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel A. Friedman and Elisa T. Wiygul of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Camden. The charges and allegations pending against Arthur Spitzer are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ### Defense counsel: Deutsch: Timothy Sini, Esq., New York Feldberger: Zach Intrater, Esq., New York Spitzer: Henry Mazurek, Esq., and Jason Ser, Esq., New York spitzeretal.indictment.pdf feldberger.information.pdf


title: Co-Founder of Paycheck Protection Program Lender Service Provider Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for $63M COVID-19 Relief Fraud Scheme

component: Criminal - Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section

body_text: A co-founder of a lender service provider was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison on Friday, November 21, 2025, for participating in a scheme to fraudulently obtain over $63 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The defendant was also ordered to pay over $63 million in restitution. According to evidence presented at trial, Stephanie Hockridge, also known as Stephanie Reis, 42, of Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, and previously of Arizona, co-founded Blueacorn in April 2020, purportedly to assist small businesses and individuals in obtaining PPP loans. To get larger loans for certain PPP applicants, Hockridge and her co-conspirators fabricated documents, including payroll records, tax documentation and bank statements. Hockridge and her co-conspirators charged borrowers kickbacks based on a percentage of the funds received. As part of the scheme, Hockridge and others offered a personalized service to their clients called “VIPPP” to help potential borrowers complete PPP loan applications. Hockridge recruited co-conspirators to work as VIPPP referral agents and coach borrowers on how to submit false PPP loan applications. To get more kickbacks from borrowers and a higher percentage of lender fees from the SBA, Hockridge and her co-conspirators submitted PPP loan applications that they knew contained materially false information. In total, Hockridge and her coconspirators processed over $63 million in fraudulent PPP loans. On June 20, a jury found Hockridge guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould for the Northern District of Texas; Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don Daley of the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Western Region; Special Agent in Charge Christopher J. Altemus Jr. of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Dallas Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock of the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Dallas Field Office made the announcement. “These defendants exploited a national crisis to enrich themselves in this multimillion-dollar, taxpayer-funded fraud scheme,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “This office and our law enforcement partners are committed to bringing to justice those individuals who steal taxpayer dollars and undermine our federal programs through fraud and deceit.” “The defendant used deceptive practices to exploit a government program for her own personal gain. This program was meant to protect small businesses and promote economic stabilization in a critical time of need,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The public can rest assured that the FBI is committed to holding accountable those who attempt to defraud the United States government and steal opportunities from honest, hardworking business owners.” IRS-CI, Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery, Federal Reserve Board-CFPB Office of Inspector General, SBA OIG, and FBI investigated the case. Acting Assistant Chief Philip Trout of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section; Trial Attorneys Elizabeth Carr and Ryan McLaren of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Weybrecht for the Northern District of Texas prosecuted the case. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. Since the enactment of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 200 defendants in more than 130 criminal cases and has seized over $78 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s Bank Integrity Unit investigates and prosecutes banks and other financial institutions, including their officers, managers and employees whose actions threaten the integrity of the individual institution or the wider financial system. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.


title: Sampson County Drug Boss Found Guilty of Selling Massive Amounts of Methamphetamine into Eastern NC Communities

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal jury convicted a Sampson County native on twelve counts of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine stemming from his leadership of a large-scale methamphetamine distribution operation in Eastern North Carolina. “This verdict sends a strong message: if you flood our communities with deadly drugs, we will come after you,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “This defendant chose to run a major cross country methamphetamine operation, and now he will face the consequences. Our office will continue to protect the people of North Carolina with unwavering resolve.” “Through a collaborative effort, ATF and our law enforcement partners disrupted a dangerous drug dealing network that stretched from coast to coast,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones. “Bringing an end to this criminal operation will have a major impact on bettering public safety in our community.” “I am truly grateful for the cooperation between my office, our federal partners, and the United States Attorney’s Office. These partnerships have allowed us to stop the flow of drugs before they even get to Sampson County preventing overdoses and other catastrophic effects,” said Sampson County Sheriff Jimmy Thornton. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Homer Allen Faison, III, age 47, led a drug trafficking organization that transported methamphetamine and other drugs from California into Eastern North Carolina for distribution. Evidence showed that Faison traveled to California to acquire pounds of pure methamphetamine, set up shipments of that methamphetamine into Sampson County, and managed the sale of that methamphetamine at homes and businesses in Clinton. The investigation revealed repeated large-quantity deliveries, organized communications, and continuous drug selling from 2020 until Faison’s arrest in May of 2023. Faison faces a minimum penalty of 120 months and up to life in prison when sentenced in February 2026. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caroline Webb and Charles Loeser are prosecuting the case. The Sampson County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Clinton Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service, and North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Lemons and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Knott led this multi-year investigation. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs). Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No.7:23-CR-00065-D-1.


title: Huntington Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Robert Craig Hatfield, also known as “Bobby,” 48, of Huntington, was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for carrying a firearm during and in relation to the distribution of fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 11, 2025, Hatfield sold a SCCY 9mm pistol and approximately 4.5 grams of heroin to a confidential informant in exchange for $340. Hatfield admitted to conducting the transaction, which occurred at his Huntington residence, and to arranging it beforehand. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff's Office. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. 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-45.


title: Inmate at Wyatt Detention Facility Indicted on Multiple Drug Trafficking Charges

body_text: PROVIDENCE – An inmate housed at the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility in Central Falls, Rhode Island was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 19, 2025, on charges alleging that, while incarcerated, he possessed contraband and multiple controlled substances with the intent to distribute, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. Brian Slutzkin “aka” Lello Brian Bongiorno , age 41, is charged with possessing contraband in prison (controlled substances) and with possession of those controlled substances with the intent to distribute them to others. According to charging documents, a search of Slutzkin allegedly revealed that he had a sock hidden on his person that contained seven balloons crafted out of latex gloves. Examination of the contents of the balloons showed that they contained distributable quantities of a powder containing fentanyl, pills containing oxycodone hydrochloride and acetaminophen, strips containing buprenorphine and naloxone, and marijuana. A federal criminal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ronald R. Gendron. The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and investigators at the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility.


title: Illegal Immigrant Sentenced to Time Served in Prison

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – A Honduran national was sentenced today to four months in prison for illegally reentering the United States after previously having been deported. According to court documents, Rigoberto Rubi-Guevara, 38, was an occupant of a vehicle stopped by the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office on September 12, 2025, for a traffic violation. Mobile County deputies suspected that Rubi-Guevara was not a United States citizen, so they contacted law enforcement personnel with U.S. Border Patrol. A Border Patrol agent was able to determine that Rubi-Guevara had previously been removed from the United States in 2011. At sentencing, Chief U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Beaverstock imposed a time-served sentence of incarceration and a one-year term of supervised release upon his future release. Upon his release from prison, Rubi-Guevara is to be referred to immigration officials for deportation proceedings. Rubi-Guevara was ordered to pay $100 in special assessments. U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. The Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. Hutchins III prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. 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.


title: Minocqua Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Money Laundering

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Corey Kromray, 40, Minocqua, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty on November 7, 2025, in federal district court in Madison to wire fraud and money laundering in connection to his long-term investment fraud scheme. At the plea hearing, Kromray admitted that between September 2018 and March 2025, he used social media and other online communications to falsely portray himself as a successful trader in stocks, mutual funds, cryptocurrency, and the foreign currency exchange market (forex). Kromray also used social media to display wealth he allegedly acquired from trading, including images or references to expensive watches, a large home, tropical vacations, and exotic sports cars. During meetings with investors, Kromray told them that they could expect a monthly rate of return of approximately 4% to 8%, with the potential of earning up to 30% a month. Instead of investing money as promised, Kromray often used investor money to pay his personal expenses. He also provided some investors with false information about the success of their investments, including sending fictitious account statements with inflated portfolio balances. Investors lost more than $800,000 as a result of Kromray’s conduct. At the plea hearing, Kromray admitted that he laundered proceeds from his wire fraud scheme, including using $50,000 in investor funds to make a payment on a 2022 Lamborghini Urus. The maximum penalty for wire fraud is 20 years in prison and the maximum penalty for money laundering is 10 years in prison. Kromray will also be ordered to pay restitution. Sentencing before the Honorable William M. Conley is scheduled for February 5, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. The charges against Kromray were a result of an investigation led by IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner is handling the prosecution.


title: Asian Boyz Gang Associate from Lowell Convicted of Drug Trafficking

body_text: BOSTON – An associate of the Asian Boyz gang was convicted on Friday following a five-day jury trial for his role in a distribution network of homemade methamphetamine pills, branded as “Adderall.” Richard Nguyen, a/k/a “Cheese,” a/k/a “Cheeseburger,” 30, of Lowell, was convicted by a federal jury of two counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy scheduled sentencing for Feb. 26, 2026. Nguyen was arrested and charged in January 2025 . In 2021, an investigation began into the Asian Boyz gang to disrupt the manufacturing and distribution of substantial quantities of methamphetamine pills impacting the City of Lowell. Nguyen was part of the large drug distribution network that profited from the sale of thousands of these counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine. Between March 2022 and January 2025, Nguyen and other defendants sold counterfeit Adderall pills to undercover officers and cooperating witnesses working with law enforcement on 47 different occasions. Evidence presented at trial established that Nguyen sold counterfeit Adderall pills to a cooperating witness at least three times between January 2024 and April 2024. Each time, Nguyen directed the cooperating witness to meet him at his home to conduct the deal, on a back porch covered with a tarp and accessible only from a narrow alleyway. Nguyen negotiated the deals with the cooperating witness using an Instagram account, “Cheese.” He gave the cooperating witness a price of $0.80 per pill, explaining that he could only get the pills for $0.70 per pill, and that he had to “make [his] dollar.” During the first deal on his back porch, Nguyen sold the cooperating witness approximately 1,000 pills. During the next two deals, Nguyen sold the cooperating witness twice as much – approximately 2,000 pills each time. The charge of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. 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; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Superintendent Greg C. Hudon of the Lowell Police Department made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Billerica, Haverhill, Methuen, North Andover and Salem Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Fred M. Wyshak, III and Brendan D. O’Shea of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/PSN . The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison for String of Dollar General Robberies

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW BERN, N.C. – A U.S. Federal Judge sentenced a Scotland Neck man, Achontay Malik Cotten, 22, to 11 years in federal prison for multiple armed robberies. “Armed robbers terrorize employees and patrons alike, endangering the community,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “Thanks to the quick and coordinated response, our local and federal law enforcement partners caught this criminal, so he faced the music. Our office remains committed to removing violent offenders from our communities and neighborhoods and keeping North Carolina families safe.” “This 11-year federal prison sentence sends a clear message to anyone who thinks they can get away with committing a violent crime in North Carolina. You will be caught and held accountable. Thanks to the quick response of our partners at the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, this armed robbery spree ended without anyone being hurt. The FBI is committed to crushing violent crime and these powerful partnerships are achieving real results to protect our communities,” said James C. Barnacle Jr., the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina. “We are grateful and thankful for our continued partnership with our U.S. Attorney’s Office to remove violent offenders from our communities,” said Edgecombe County Sheriff Clee Atkinson. “We will continue working with our citizens and our local, state, and community partners to make this area a safe place to live and play.” “We value our partnership with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in addressing violent crime in Franklin County. Our goal is focused on removing violent criminals from our communities and keeping our citizens safe,” said Franklin County Sheriff Kevin White. According to court documents and other information presented in court, prior to October 11, 2023, Cotten and his gang robbed several Dollar General stores in Franklin County. The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office guarded different Dollar General locations throughout the evening. Around 9:50 p.m., deputies at the Dollar General on NC 561 Highway in Louisburg spotted three suspects robbing the store. As deputies moved in, the suspects sped off in a nearby getaway car, leading deputies on a high-speed chase through multiple counties. During the pursuit, one of the vehicle’s passengers fired several shots at pursuing deputies. The car eventually stopped, and four suspects ran off into nearby woods. Law enforcement quickly located and apprehended Cotten, who later admitted to driving the getaway car. Investigators also linked Cotten to other armed robberies of Dollar General stores in Franklin County, including on October 8 and October 10, 2023, when armed criminals held employees at gunpoint before fleeing with stolen proceeds. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jaren Kelly and Leonard Champaign prosecuted the case. The FBI Raleigh Durham Safe Streets Task Force, the Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office, and the Warren County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-213-M-BM-1.


title: Jury Finds Man Guilty of Second-Degree Murder for Shooting, Stabbing, and Beating Man in Capitol Hill

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – On November 21, 2025, a Superior Court jury returned guilty verdicts for Julius Worthy, 42, on charges of second-degree murder, assault with intent to kill, and related offenses stemming from the homicide of Orlando Galloway and the attack of Shaquia Lewis on April 2, 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. The Honorable Jason Park scheduled sentencing for January 30, 2026. Worthy faces a maximum sentence of 95 years in prison for the crimes. In April of 2023, Worthy lived with Galloway in a one-bedroom apartment in the Capitol Hill area. The evening of the homicide, Worthy returned home and began arguing with Galloway over $20. As Galloway pleaded with Worthy that he would pay him the money, Worthy pulled out a firearm and shot eight times into the apartment, six of which struck Galloway. Worthy then grabbed a kitchen knife from the dishrack and stabbed Galloway five times in the neck. Worthy beat Galloway in the face repeatedly with the firearm, causing a piece of the frame to break off. Worthy then turned to Lewis and stabbed her multiple times while strangling her, causing her to lose consciousness. Worthy remained in the apartment for over an hour with Galloway’s body and Lewis, calling multiple people on his phone to ask for help “cleaning up this mess,” adding that he was “killing two people.” When Lewis tried to escape through the front door, Worthy attacked her again, stabbing her with a pair of scissors. A neighbor across the street heard Lewis screaming, saw Worthy attacking Lewis, and called 911. Officers arrived shortly thereafter, and Worthy fled out the back door. During the investigation, law enforcement discovered that Worthy texted multiple individuals in the hours after the homicide, including stating, “I killed two people.” Law enforcement arrested Worthy the following day, April 3, 2023, and he remained in custody since. Joining in the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. The Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Lawrence and Molly Smith prosecuted the case.


title: Bronx Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Cocaine

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A former resident of the Bronx, New York, entered a guilty plea in federal court to cocaine trafficking, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Jose Baez Cabrera, 34, pleaded guilty today before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon to possessing with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine on August 16, 2023. Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for March 19, 2026. The law provides for a maximum sentence of up to life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States. The Pennsylvania State Police and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of the defendant.


title: Madison Man Sentenced to Six Years for Illegally Possessing Firearm

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Terrance Moore III, 28, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced on November 21, 2025, by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to six years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The prison term will be followed by three years of supervised release. Moore pled guilty to this charge on September 3, 2025. On July 8, 2024, Madison police officers were monitoring an impromptu street party just off the Capitol Square in downtown Madison. Officers looked inside Moore’s parked car and saw an AR-style rifle sticking out from under the front passenger seat. Moore was arrested and during a search of the vehicle, officers also found a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber handgun, marijuana, and oxycodone pills in a backpack on the driver’s seat. Moore’s DNA was later identified on the handgun. At the time, Moore was on state probation for three prior illegal firearms possession cases. Moore is prohibited from legally possessing a firearm because of these, and other prior felony convictions. At Moore’s sentencing, Judge Conley expressed serious concern that this was Moore’s fourth time in front of a court for possessing a firearm as a felon. Judge Conley found that a significant sentence was necessary given Moore’s prior criminal history. The charge against Moore was the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force also assisted with the case. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Levins prosecuted the case. Federal criminal cases involving firearms are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).