title: El Salvadorian Citizen Sentenced for Resisting Federal Law Enforcement

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – A federal judge sentenced an El Salvadorian citizen after he pled guilty to resisting, opposing, impeding, and interfering with federal law enforcement officers. U.S. Magistrate Judge Ajmel A. Quereshi sentenced Cristian Rivas-Bonilla, 27, to time served, amounting to approximately 51 days Rivas-Bonilla has been detained pending court proceedings, for an incident stemming from a final order of removal from an immigration judge. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea and sentencing to the criminal offense with Special Agent in Charge Christopher R. Heck, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland. On November 4, 2025, HSI Baltimore Agents traveled to a Camp Springs, Maryland, address to search for Rivas-Bonilla. After observing Rivas-Bonilla getting into a car at a residence, agents activated the emergency lights on their unmarked vehicles and attempted to conduct a vehicle stop to arrest Rivas-Bonilla. Two agents’ vehicles were behind Rivas-Bonilla and the other agent’s vehicle directly blocked his path of travel. Agents attempted to confirm Rivas-Bonilla’s identity before arresting him to transport him to the Baltimore Field Office for processing. Agents exited their vehicles and commanded Rivas-Bonilla to stop his car. The agents were clearly identifiable as law-enforcement officers as they wore tactical vests with police decals. Rivas-Bonilla reversed his vehicle and drove onto the sidewalk as he attempted to evade HSI agents. Agents then activated their emergency sirens and pursued him. Rivas-Bonilla continued to disregard agents’ emergency lights and sirens, causing a chase that reached speeds of approximately 70 miles per hour. One agent drove their vehicle directly in front of him, another agent drove their vehicle on the side of him, and the other agent drove their vehicle directly behind him in attempt to bring Rivas-Bonilla’s vehicle to a stop. But Rivas-Bonillaquickly swerved his vehicle to the right to avoid the agents’ attempt to slow him down. Rivas-Bonilla continued driving at high speeds as agents continued their efforts to bring his vehicle to a stop. Eventually, Rivas-Bonilla’s vehicle and two of the agents’ vehicles collided, allowing law enforcement to capture and arrest him. 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. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI for its work in this investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael C. Hanlon and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Mills who prosecuted this case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Antitrust Division and U.S. Postal Service Make First-Ever Whistleblower Payment: $1M Awarded for Reporting Antitrust Crime

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: The Antitrust Division today announced its first-ever whistleblower reward: a $1 million reward to a whistleblower who provided information that led to EBLOCK Corporation resolving criminal antitrust and fraud charges through a deferred prosecution agreement, under which it has agreed to pay a $3.28 million criminal fine. EBLOCK Corporation offers an online auction platform for used vehicles. In November 2020, EBLOCK acquired Company A, another online auction platform for used vehicles. According to the Criminal Information and Deferred Prosecution Agreement filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, EBLOCK did not take immediate action after the acquisition to end the bid-rigging conspiracy and fraud at Company A. From November 2020 to February 2022, individuals at Company A conspired with individuals at Company B to suppress and eliminate competition for used vehicles sold on Company A’s online auction platform, in violation of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1. EBLOCK also did not take immediate action to end “shill bidding” on Company A’s platform, resulting in the placement of fake bids intended to artificially increase the sales prices for used vehicles, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343. “Whistleblowers serve as the Justice System’s greatest disinfectant against criminal antitrust conspiracies,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Omeed A. Assefi of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “A car is the second largest purchase most Americans will make in their lifetimes. This whistleblower helped expose a brazen $16 million scheme that made it more expensive for hardworking Americans to afford second-hand cars across the country. This $1 million reward not only recognizes a whistleblower for bravely stepping forward to report crimes to the Antitrust Division, but also underscores the indispensable role whistleblowers will continue to play in the Division’s criminal enforcement program. Remember, the first company in an antitrust cartel that reports its collusion to the Antitrust Division might receive Leniency — but the race is faster now, because employees and their attorneys are incentivized to blow the whistle and beat their companies to the Division’s doorstep.” “Today’s reward shows that the Antitrust Division leverages whistleblower reports to drive forward our investigations,” said Acting Director of Criminal Enforcement Daniel Glad of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “If a whistleblower provides new information that ultimately assists the Antitrust Division in bringing charges, the whistleblower might receive a significant award — even if the criminal activity has already ended.” “Whistleblowers play a critical role in helping law enforcement to identify and investigate a wide variety of criminal activities,” said Acting Assistant Director Mark Remily of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “In this case, information from a whistleblower led to the identification and dismantlement of a criminal antitrust conspiracy, that if unreported, would have continued to harm American consumers who were unknowingly overpaying for automobiles.” “In this case, the defendant used the U.S. Mail to send documentation related to the scheme; a scheme that valued illegal profits over protecting unsuspecting car buyers. The Postal Inspection Service does not tolerate this abuse of the U.S. Mail or its customers and will pursue these types of criminals wherever they are,” said Chief Postal Inspector Gary Barksdale. “This $1 million dollar award comes only six months after the Whistleblower Rewards Program first started. This award shows the commitment the U.S. Postal Service and the Antitrust Division to support those who provide accurate, actionable intelligence about antitrust and related competition crimes with a connection to the U.S. Mail.” As described in the court documents, legacy employees at Company A conspired with employees at Company B to share bidding information and agree on the maximum amount Company A or Company B would bid on certain vehicles. Company A employees provided special access and user permissions to Company B that enabled it to view the confidential bidding information of other buyers and sellers on its auction site. The co-conspirators maintained a shared inventory of vehicles purchased pursuant to the bid rigging scheme, and they coordinated to relist those vehicles and place shill bids with the intention of artificially increasing the prices paid by legitimate buyers. They also misrepresented the numbers and identities of these fake bidders during the online auctions by commissioning the development of software that would automatically place shill bids under the names of actual auto dealerships without those dealerships’ consent. The co-conspirators pooled and split the profits from the scheme. During the course of these actions, various documents in support of the scheme were sent via U.S. Mail. In addition to the $3.28 million fine, the deferred prosecution agreement requires EBLOCK to undertake remedial measures, including implementing an appropriate compliance program and cooperating with the Justice Department’s ongoing criminal investigation and any resulting prosecutions. Federal law protects employees who report criminal antitrust violations from retaliation by their employers. At all times, the Antitrust Division will take reasonable steps to protect whistleblowers and minimize risks that use of the information will lead to public identification. More information on confidentiality and anti-retaliation protections is on the Confidentiality page . The Antitrust Division works with its law enforcement partners the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General to pay rewards to whistleblowers. Whistleblowers who voluntarily report original information about antitrust and related offenses that result in criminal fines or other recoveries of at least $1 million may be eligible to receive a whistleblower reward. Whistleblower awards can range from 15 to 30 percent of the money collected. For more information on the Antitrust Whistleblower Rewards Program, including a link to submit reports, visit www.justice.gov/atr/whistleblower-rewards . The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Melanie Krebs-Pilotti and Patrick Hallagan, and Assistant Chief Kristina Srica for the Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal Section, are prosecuting the case.


title: Midland Felon Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Firearm Possession

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: MIDLAND, Texas – A Midland man was sentenced in federal court to 87 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to court documents, Manuel Trevino Padilla, 43, was previously convicted of trafficking methamphetamine. In August 2025, while Padilla was on federal supervised release, federal, state, and local law enforcement officers executed a state narcotics search warrant at Padilla’s home. Padilla attempted to flee out of the back of the residence but was detained. The search resulted in the discovery of two loaded firearms: a semi-automatic handgun and a revolver. Padilla was arrested on Aug. 19, 2025, and charged in a one-count indictment on Aug. 27. He pleaded guilty to the indictment on Oct. 16. U.S. District Court Judge David Counts sentenced Padilla in Midland on Jan. 20. Justin R. Simmons, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, made the announcement. ICE Homeland Security Investigations, the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigative Division, and the Midland County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Haywood prosecuted the case. ###


title: California Woman Sentenced to Nearly 3 Years in Federal Prison  for Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a San Jacinto, California woman convicted of Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. The sentencing took place on January 26, 2026. Nicole Dorrough, 52, was sentenced to 34 months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Dorrough was indicted for Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering by a federal grand jury in May 2024. She pleaded guilty on November 10, 2025. Dorrough was a member of a large drug trafficking organization that was responsible for sending hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine from California to Sioux Falls. The group also trafficked cocaine and marijuana. Dorrough specifically received drug proceeds from co-conspirators in South Dakota through electronic payments like Cash-App or Zelle. Significant amounts of cash were deposited into her bank account during her involvement in the conspiracy. Once she had received the drug proceeds from South Dakota, she would then provide them to a co-conspirator in California. The scheme allowed funds to quickly be transferred from state to state while keeping the name of the main co-conspirator off the transactions. Investigators identified approximately $700,000 of money laundering activity by the group, of which Dorrough was personally involved in transactions totaling approximately $200,000. “People who launder and move around the dirty money obtained from drug deals are just as culpable as the dealers directly funneling that poison into our neighborhoods and communities,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case. Dorrough was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Troy man accused of threatening to kill ICE agents in Minneapolis

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A Troy man is facing a federal charge for threatening to kill federal agents working for Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Minneapolis. A federal complaint charged Jeffrey A. Mullinix, 67, with one count of interstate communication with a threat to injure. “Violence and threats against law enforcement officers can never be tolerated, and those responsible will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “At the same time, I call on everyone to lower the temperature and seek calm. Our country faces real challenges, but threats and violence only make things worse for our communities, our officers, and the rule of law.” According to the complaint, Mullinix is accused of posting a threatening comment on a YouTube video on Jan. 21. In the comment, Mullinix allegedly stated he was on his way to Minneapolis with weapons, had prior military experience and would knock at least 50 of the law enforcement agents out. An anonymous tipster notified the FBI of Mullinix’s comment. "Threats of violence against law enforcement are taken seriously. The statements made by Mr. Mullinix were not off handed, but were direct and specific," said Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Springfield Field Office, Karen Marinos. "FBI Springfield thanks our law enforcement partners for the assistance they provided in this matter and for treating it with the seriousness it deserved." On Jan. 22, law enforcement interviewed Mullinix at his residence and seized two rifles. A complaint is merely an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The FBI Springfield Field Office is leading the investigation.


title: Sixteen Defendants Charged with Violently Assaulting Federal Officers and Property

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – Sixteen individuals who violently assaulted federal officers and federal property over the past several weeks have been charged in criminal complaints, announced United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. Rosen was joined in the announcement by HSI Acting Executive Associate Director, Homeland Security Investigations John A. Condon. Among those charged were: Gillian Etherington, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, who is alleged to have rammed her car into a United States Border Patrol vehicle and drove away. Border Patrol Agents followed Etherington who drove into oncoming traffic and struck an unmarked law enforcement vehicle near a high school. Etherington refused to comply with Agents’ commands to exit her car. As Agents attempted to remove her from the car, Etherington put the car in gear. Agents were ultimately able to pull Etherington from the car, but she resisted arrest and yelled: “Free Palestine!” Etherington also tried to grab one of the Border Patrol Agent’s firearm, which fell to the ground and out of the Agent’s reach. Paul Johnson, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, who is alleged to have been following Customs and Border Protection Officers in his van. Johnson exited his van and approached the CBP Officers’ vehicle with a baseball bat in his hand. After Officers told Johnson to stop approaching and get back, Johnson returned to his van, left the baseball bat, but grabbed a canister of pressurized oleoresin capsicum (“pepper spray”), and sprayed the CBP Officer’s vehicle. When Officers attempted to arrest Johnson – who had entered his running van – he resisted arrest, attempted to put the van in gear, and sprayed the faces of multiple officers with pepper spray. Matrim James Charlebois, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, who is alleged to have stood in front of a law enforcement vehicle and obstructed its path. Charlebois then used two hands to swing a metal cane at federal law enforcement officer, narrowly missing the officer’s head. Charlebois then struck a federal law enforcement vehicle multiple times with the metal cane. Ilan Wilson-Soler, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, who is alleged to have approached federal law enforcement officers with a large fire extinguisher, pointed it at the officers, sprayed them, and then ran away. While Wilson-Soler was running away, he collided with another federal law enforcement officer and hit her in the knee with the fire extinguisher. Abdikadir Noor, of St. Cloud, Minnesota, who is alleged to have thrown a brick at Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officers. When Officers attempted to arrest Noor, he fled and, once caught, attempted to avoid being handcuffed by grappling with the Officers. Margaret Sager, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, who is alleged to have jumped on the back of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officer and put her arm around his neck in what appeared to be a strangle hold. At the time of Sager’s assault on the Officer, the Officer had arrested an illegal alien and was escorting the illegal alien to a vehicle for transportation. Also charged were Kirubele Adbebe of Rosemont, Minnesota; Nasra Ahmed of Woodberry, Minnesota; Helicity Borowska of Mahtomedi, Minnesota; Joshua Doyle of Robbinsdale, Minnesota; Nitzana Flores of South Haven, Minnesota; Christina Rank of St. Paul, Minnesota; Madeline Tschida of Becker, Minnesota; Alice Valentine of St. Cloud, Minnesota; William Vermie of Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Quentin Williams of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota. United States Attorney Rosen stated, “We do not tolerate assaults on federal officers and those who commit that crime will be held accountable.” “People need to understand their actions have consequences and that obstruction, assault and impeding is not protected under the disguise of protesting,” said HSI Acting Executive Associate Director, Homeland Security Investigations John A. Condon. “We will continue to work with the Department of Justice to ensure anyone that oversteps that line of peaceful protester to illegal agitator will be apprehended and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.” A complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent. As a felony trial cannot be held on a complaint, a decision to seek an indictment will be made in the near future. These cases are being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. 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: TALLAHASSEE FELON INDICTED FOR UNLAWFUL FIREARM POSSESSION

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

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Joseph Columbus Williams, 64, of Tallahassee, Florida, has been indicted in federal court for two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges. Williams appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for March 16, 2026, at 8:15 am before District Court Judge Robert L. Hinkle in Tallahassee, Florida. Williams faces 15 years’, and up to life, imprisonment on each count. The case is being jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Tallahassee Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain. An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, human and drug trafficking. 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 https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Two Kansans indicted for making threats against federal officials in separate, unrelated incidents

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: WICHITA, KAN. – In separate, unrelated cases, a federal grand jury in Wichita returned indictments charging two Kansas men with threatening violence against federal officials. According to court documents, Adam Lee Osborn, 60, of Wichita was indicted on one count of interstate communications with a threat to injure and one count of influencing, impeding, and retaliating against a federal official by threatening. On January 23, 2026, Osborn allegedly indicated via social media that he intended to murder Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. In a separate case, Joaquin Hernandez, 23, of Wichita was indicted on one count of interstate communications with threat to injure and one count of retaliating against a federal official by threatening. On January 22, 2026, Hernandez is accused of posting a video on social media threatening to assault and murder federal law enforcement agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) carrying out their duties in Wichita. “Threats of political violence will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “In a democracy, we settle our differences at the ballot box after robust public debate. For our system of government to work, it’s vital that certain lines are not crossed when it comes to self-expression. Threats of political violence destabilize the very core of our system of governance.” The Wichita Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are investigating both cases. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Technician indicted for stealing controlled substances from pharmacy

body_text: WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Kansas woman with illegally taking controlled substances from her employer’s inventory. According to court documents, Janice Mae Brown, 39, of Russell was indicted on one count of acquiring a controlled substance by deception. Beginning at a date unknown and continuing through March 2025, Brown is accused of using her position as a pharmacy technician to remove amphetamine (Adderall) and methylphenidate (Ritalin) from a pharmacy without proper authorization. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case. OTHER INDICTMENTS Miguel De La Cruz, 22, a Guatemalan national residing illegally in Arkansas City was indicted on one count of resisting, opposing, impeding, and interfering with a federal officer. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case. Jose Garcia-Villa, 43, a Mexican national residing illegally in the United States was indicted on one count of illegal reentry after deportation. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: DOG FIGHTING & FIREARMS CONVICTIONS SEND PANAMA CITY MEN TO FEDERAL PRISON

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Fredricus White, 38, and Cornelious Johnson, 41, both of Panama City, Florida, were sentenced to federal prison for possession of fighting dogs and firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon. White was sentenced to seven years in prison, while Johnson was sentenced to two years and six months. Both men are to serve their sentences consecutive to federal sentences handed down last year by a District Court Judge in Georgia for an unrelated dog fight. The defendants will be on supervised release for three years following their release from prison. The sentences were announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “These defendants engaged in the cruel and continued mistreatment of animals, and now they find themselves locked in a federal cell for their crimes. Dismantling this dog fighting enterprise was made possible through the outstanding investigative work of Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford’s deputies and our federal law enforcement partners, and this successful prosecution was secured with excellent support from the Department of Justice’s Environmental and Natural Resources Division. My office is firmly committed to ending the cruel infliction of pain on animals purely for sport and financial gain in the Northern District of Florida.” Court documents reflect that White and Johnson entered into a conspiracy to violate the Animal Welfare Act from 2018 through February 2024, by participating in organized dog fighting, to include breeding fighting dogs, participating in gambling involving illegal dog fights, and training dogs to participate in dog fights. White and Johnson were previously arrested in Georgia for participating in a dog fight in 2022. Federal arrest warrants in February 2024 for the Georgia dog fight led to the discovery of two rural Panama City area properties where White and Johnson had continued to keep, breed, and train fighting dogs. White’s residence was also searched, and three firearms were found. White was prohibited from possessing firearms due to felony convictions in 2009 and 2012. As part of the case, authorities seized twenty-seven dogs from the properties. The dogs were surrendered to the United States Marshals Service, who handle the care and rehabilitation of seized animals for the United States government. “The Bay County Sheriff’s Office stands up for victims who have a voice and for those who cannot speak for themselves,” said Sheriff Tommy Ford. “This type of conduct will not be tolerated in our community, and we hope this sends a clear message to anyone who intends to harm our pets.” “We are glad to partner with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida to bring perpetrators of dog fighting to justice,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “Dog fighting is a vicious crime that’s often connected with other criminal activity. ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section is proud to work with our colleagues throughout the Department of Justice to enforce the law.” The convictions were the result of a joint investigation by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the United States Department of Agriculture Office of the Inspector General with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Meredith L. Steer and Kaitlin Weiss with assistance from ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section. 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, human and drug trafficking. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Las Cruces Woman Charged with Assaulting a Deputy  U.S. Marshal

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Las Cruces woman has been charged by criminal complaint with assaulting a Deputy United States Marshal during an attempted arrest. According to court documents, on November 6, 2025, the U.S. Marshals Service Southwest Investigative Fugitive Team was attempting to execute a federal arrest warrant at a residence in Las Cruces, New Mexico. When law enforcement prepared to enter the home, the owner, Joann Rickman , 55, became combative. A Deputy U.S. Marshal restrained Rickman and placed her in handcuffs. She continued resisting, kicking, spitting, and attempting to bite the officer. Once the situation was under control and the investigation at the scene concluded, Rickman was returned to a standing position and her handcuffs were removed. Emergency Medical Services offered medical attention, which she declined. Later that afternoon, the U.S. Marshal sought medical attention for a thumb sprain and potential exposure to communicable disease. Rickman is charged with assault of an officer of the United States resulting in physical contact. If convicted of the current charges, Rickman faces eight years in prison. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, Las Cruces Police Department and New Mexico Air National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan H. Gennari and Mark Saltman are prosecuting the case. View the Criminal Complaint (Rickman).pdf An indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Two Drug Traffickers Charged After Ramming DEA Vehicles and Leading a High Speed Chase in Fresno County

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: Two Los Angeles County residents were charged Monday for their roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy and an assault on federal law enforcement officers, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. Kevin Guzman and Julian Alcantara-Aguirre, both 23, were charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Alcantara-Aguirre was also charged with assault on a federal officer. According to court documents, on Jan. 22, 2026, Guzman and Alcantara-Aguirre traveled from Los Angeles County to Fresno to carry out a planned sale of 5 kilograms of fentanyl. When they spotted law enforcement officers in the area, Guzman and Alcantara-Aguirre fled in their black Toyota Matrix. As Alcantara‑Aguirre attempted to escape, he rammed the Toyota Matrix into multiple government vehicles occupied by DEA agents. Guzman and Alcantara‑Aguirre then led agents on a high‑speed pursuit along State Routes 99 and 180 before coming to a stop and fleeing on foot. Both men were apprehended shortly after a coordinated law enforcement response. During the pursuit, officers recovered approximately 5 kilograms of fentanyl that had been thrown from the Toyota Matrix. “Fentanyl is a poison in this District and throughout the nation,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “In coordination with DEA and our local and state law enforcement partners, this Office will vigorously prosecute those who traffic in that poison. And we will not tolerate violent assaults on federal officers who steadfastly enforce our drug laws.” “The men and women of the Drug Enforcement Administration are dedicated to saving lives,” said Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris of the DEA San Francisco Field Division. “As part of DEA’s Fentanyl Free America Campaign, this operation targeted large scale fentanyl dealers, peddling poison in our communities. There is no doubt this seizure saved lives. We are thankful for our law enforcement partners that worked with us on this operation.” The Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Fresno Police Department, and the California Highway Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chan Hee Chu is prosecuting the case. If convicted of the conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, the defendants face a minimum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life in prison, and a $10 million fine. If convicted of assault on a federal officer, Alcantara-Aguirre faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Shiprock Man Charged Federally After Shooting into Residence

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man is facing federal charges in connection with a shooting that sent multiple rounds into an occupied residence. According to court documents, on January 21, 2026, Navajo Police Department dispatch received a call from a reporting party who stated that Taylon Keeswood , 20, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was shooting at a house in Shiprock, New Mexico. Responding officers located and detained Keeswood near the house shortly after the call. Investigators responded to the shooting scene, where they recovered shell casings and confirmed that a residence occupied by an adult and three children had been struck numerous times by gunfire. No one inside the home was injured. Keeswood later admitted to investigators that he fired an AK-style rifle from his hip, emptying a 30-round magazine at the residence, which he believed was the home of an individual with whom he had prior disputes, before fleeing the area and hiding the firearm. Law enforcement later recovered the firearm at the location Keeswood identified after hiding it while evading police. Keeswood is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. He will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Keeswood faces a minimum of ten years in prison. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Mondragon is prosecuting the case. View the Criminal Complaint (Keeswood).pdf An indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Fayetteville Grandmother Gets Five Year Federal Prison Sentence for Stealing Over $5 Million in Community College Scholarship Scam

component: Office of the Inspector General

body_text: A federal judge sentenced a Fayetteville grandmother, Cynthia Denise Melvin, age 60, to five years in federal prison for wire fraud stealing over $5 million from federal student aid for community colleges all around North Carolina. She pleaded guilty on February 26, 2025. The federal judge also ordered Melvin to pay back $3,641,473 in restitution to the U.S. Department of Education. “We have seen dishonest thieves stealing taxpayer dollars all over the country, including right here in Eastern North Carolina. In her federal student aid fraud scheme, this grandmother stole the most money ever prosecuted in North Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney W. Ellis Boyle. “We will find and prosecute criminals who steal tax dollars from benefit programs intended to help students who need it to pursue education. She should have been taking care of her grandkids, setting an example of how to be a good person. Instead, now she will spend half a decade in federal prison apart from them.” “I’m proud of the work of OIG special agents and our law enforcement colleagues for shutting down yet another student aid fraud ring and holding Ms. Melvin accountable for her criminal actions,” said Andrew Balceniuk, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General’s Eastern Regional Office. “The Office of Inspector General is committed to stopping student aid fraud rings, and we will continue to aggressively pursue anyone who participates in them.” According to court documents and other information presented in court, between approximately 2016 and 2023, Inmate Melvin organized, led, and conspired with approximately 80 “straw students” to fraudulently apply for federal student aid at multiple community colleges in North Carolina, including Wake Tech, Cape Fear Community College, and Fayetteville Tech. Federal investigators from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General (OIG), estimate that the scheme resulted in over $5 million in financial aid awards and more than $3.5 million disbursed. This scheme is the largest of its kind ever prosecuted in the State of North Carolina. Federal Student Aid (FSA), part of the U.S. Department of Education, administers financial aid programs to assist qualified students in their pursuit of college level education. FSA also develops, distributes, and processes the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). After a school applies a financial award to a student’s tuition and fees, any remaining balance is refunded to the student for education-related expenses. According to the investigation, Inmate Melvin collected personal identifying information from straw students and submitted fraudulent applications at the targeted schools. Then, inmate Melvin faked the attendance at classes, completion of work, and interactions with the target schools when, in reality, inmate Melvin impersonated these straw students. Inmate Melvin submitted FAFSA forms for the straw students through FSA’s website and concealed her identity as the preparer. During the execution of a federal search warrant at inmate Melvin’s home, OIG investigators recovered evidence establishing the operation and mechanics of the scheme, including personal information and coursework for straw students, FSA account usernames and passwords, and bank account and routing numbers. United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief Judge Richard E. Myers, II. The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam F. Hulbig prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on our website . Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-CR-14-M.


title: PENSACOLA FELON SENTENCED FOR FIREARM OFFENSE

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Earl Vincent Hudgins III, 32, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced to three years in federal prison followed by a three-year term of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the outstanding work of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and our federal law enforcement partners, another dangerous felon was stopped before he could continue terrorizing our community with violence, and with this successful prosecution by my office he will be kept off our streets for several years. My office will continue fulfilling the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi when they launched Operation Take Back America to protect our communities from dangerous felons like this defendant.” Court documents reflect that on February 16, 2025, the defendant’s vehicle was stopped for a traffic infraction. A subsequent search uncovered an AR-style firearm loaded with 15 rounds of .300-caliber ammunition, which the defendant was prohibited from possessing as a convicted felon. Later, law enforcement identified multiple posts on the defendant’s social media showing him in possession of the same firearm located during the traffic stop. The defendant also posted a video during the traffic stop captioned, “Bout to go to jail.” This case was a joint investigation by Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher C. Patterson. 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, human and drug trafficking. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Zuni Man Sentenced for Stabbing Unarmed Victim

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni man has been sentenced to 37 months in prison after pleading guilty to stabbing an unarmed victim with a sharp metal object, causing severe internal injuries that required life-saving medical treatment. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court records, on June 16, 2025, Adrian Cheama , 37, an enrolled member of the Zuni Pueblo, stabbed an unarmed man in the abdomen with a sharp metal object without apparent provocation, then disposed of the weapon, preventing law enforcement from recovering it. The victim was airlifted to a hospital, where he received life-saving treatment for the stab wound and resulting severe internal injuries. At the time of his arrest, Cheama denied responsibility for the stabbing. Cheama subsequently pled guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. He was ordered to pay $36,567 in restitution. Upon his release from prison, Cheama will be subject to two years of supervised release. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron O. Jordan is prosecuting the case.


title: Queens Man Sentenced for Bank Fraud and Identity Theft

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Queens, N.Y. man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for a scheme to steal over $3 million in COVID relief tax credits using the stolen identity of a corporate executive in New Jersey. Linval Jackson, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Denise J. Casper to four years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In October 2025 , Jackson pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud; one count of bank fraud; and one count of aggravated identity theft. Jackson was arrested and charged in July 2024. Jackson and his co-conspirator Isaiah Aaron Tenryk used a fraudulent driver’s license, as well as the name and Social Security number of a corporate executive in New Jersey, to open a bank account in Boston. Tenryk then deposited an approximately $3 million Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) check payable to the executive’s company into the fraudulent account. ERTC is a refundable tax credit for certain eligible businesses that had employees and were adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. After the check was deposited, Jackson attempted to link the fraudulent account to other bank accounts he controlled to transfer the stolen money. Tenryk pleaded guilty to bank fraud and identity theft in September 2024 and was sentenced to three years in prison in December 2024 . United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Nicholas Bucciarelli, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna Nuzum of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Arthritis & Rheumatology Center, P.C. and Jatin Patel settle False Claims Act case for $2.18 Million

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA – Arthritis & Rheumatology Center, P.C. (“ARC”) and its owner, Jatin Patel, M.D., will pay $2.18 million to settle allegations that ARC used medical assistants to perform infusion services in violation of Georgia law and submitted claims for those services to Medicare in violation of the False Claims Act. “Physicians who disregard state and federal law by allowing unqualified individuals to perform unauthorized medical services place patients in needless danger,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Our office will hold accountable those who participate in federal healthcare programs but seek to enrich themselves by not following the rules.” An investigation into Dr. Patel and his practice began when an ARC employee filed a whistleblower complaint alleging ARC improperly used unlicensed medical assistants to infuse powerful chemotherapy medications into ARC’s patients, even though Georgia regulations prohibit such conduct. The Medicare program does not pay for services rendered in violation of state law. Accordingly, the whistleblower alleged that ARC’s conduct resulted in the submission of false claims to Medicare in violation of the False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. § 3729, et seq. This civil settlement resolves a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia by former ARC employee Phillips Allender (the Relator) under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, U.S. ex rel. Allender v. Arthritis & Rheumatology Center, P.C. and Jatin Patel, M.D. , No. 1:21-cv-4530-MLB. Under the False Claims Act, private citizens may bring suit for false claims on behalf of the United States and share in any recovery obtained by the government. The Relator will receive $414,200 from the settlement. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. This case was investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia and handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam D. Nugent. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to Over 15 Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – Jaime Rosario Ang (53, Jacksonville) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jordan E. Pratt to 15 years and 8 months in federal prison for two counts of distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Ang pleaded guilty on October 6, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to court documents, Ang sold methamphetamine totaling over 1.2 kilograms to an undercover detective on multiple occasions between 2022 and 2023. During a separate interaction, Ang agreed to purchase a rifle from the undercover detective, who subsequently revealed himself as law enforcement. Federal agents then located and seized 517 additional grams of methamphetamine, 52 grams of fentanyl, a loaded handgun, and two additional loaded magazines from Ang’s residence. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelli Swaney. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).


title: Troy Rivetti Appointed to Serve as United States Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, PA – Troy Rivetti was appointed by Attorney General Pamela Bondi on January 28, 2026, to serve as United States Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania, and was sworn into the role yesterday afternoon by the Honorable J. Nicholas Ranjan, United States District Court Judge. Mr. Rivetti has led the office since the resignation of United States Attorney Eric Olshan in January 2025, with Rivetti having served as Acting United States Attorney until November 2025 and then continuing to lead the office as First Assistant United States Attorney, the role Rivetti held prior to becoming Acting United States Attorney. Mr. Rivetti’s career in the Department of Justice has spanned nearly 30 years and has included a series of leadership positions in the U.S. Attorney’s Office. In addition to previously holding the positions of Acting United States Attorney (February 2023 to June 2023) and First Assistant United States Attorney (November 2021 to January 2025), Rivetti served as Chief of the office’s Criminal Division from 2019 to 2021. He joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 1997. Throughout his career as a federal prosecutor, Mr. Rivetti’s primary area of concentration has involved the investigation and prosecution of violent crime, including large-scale drug trafficking organizations and firearms offenses. Of particular note, Rivetti co-led the multi-year investigation and prosecution of United States v. Robert Bowers, the perpetrator of the worst antisemitic mass shooting in U.S. history. He served as first chair for the trial team throughout the three-month capital jury selection, trial, and sentencing. Mr. Rivetti obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree from Dickinson College and his Juris Doctor from Georgetown University. Following graduation from law school, Rivetti was employed for five years as a litigation associate at a large Pittsburgh law firm. He then served as a law clerk for two years for the Honorable D. Brooks Smith.


title: Clay County Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing a Loaded Firearm as a Convicted Felon

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida –David Neil Haas (38, Clay County) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jordan E. Pratt to 46 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Haas to forfeit a Bryco Jennings 9mm pistol and ammunition, which was used in the commission of the offense. Law enforcement arrested Hass on September 22, 2025, and he was subsequently detained. Haas pleaded guilty on October 28, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to court documents, on August 11, 2025, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) pulled over a motorcycle driven by Haas for driving without a tag. The CCSO also determined that Haas was driving on a suspended license. When speaking with Haas, a deputy observed a large bulge in the vest being worn by Haas. A subsequent search of the vest by the deputy revealed a black Bryco Jennings 9mm pistol, loaded with 13 rounds of ammunition. At the time, Haas had multiple prior felony convictions, which prohibit him from possessing firearms under federal law. This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Jacksonville Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein. 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: Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Making a Bomb Threat on a Plane

body_text: Tampa, Florida – Taj Malik Taylor (27, Madison Heights, VA) has pleaded guilty to one count of false information and making threats. Taylor faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to the plea agreement, on July 6, 2025, Taylor was a passenger on an aircraft en route from the Saint Pete-Clearwater International Airport in Florida to the Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport in Virginia. The plane was in the air and had just left Saint Pete-Clearwater International Airport when Taylor stated out loud that his laptop was a bomb. Several passengers heard Taylor make this statement. Taylor made the statement knowing that the information was false and with reckless disregard for the safety of human life. The flight crew rerouted the flight back to Saint Pete-Clearwater Airport because of Taylor’s statement. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karyna Valdes.


title: Sun City Center Man Pleads Guilty To Two Counts Of Falsely Impersonating A Federal Officer

body_text: Tampa, Florida – Marcus Jose Luis Brand (20, Sun City Center) has pleaded guilty to two counts of false impersonation of an officer. Brand faces a maximum penalty of six years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to court documents, on October 3, 2024, Brand falsely claimed to be a U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division Special Agent and conducted canvas interviews of several individuals, at their homes, in a neighborhood in the Middle District of Florida. Brand was wearing a badge on his waist band and told the victims that he was a U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division Special Agent. Brand then proceeded to ask the victims questions, stating he was investigating a dispute between some of the neighbors. Brand has never been a U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division Special Agent and has never had authority to conduct investigations. Several of his interactions with the victims were captured on home surveillance cameras. Further, on October 18, 2024, Brand, attended a football game at Lennard High School wearing a badge and handcuffs and, again, falsely claimed to be a U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division Special Agent. This case was investigated by the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Karyna Valdes.


title: Charlotte Businessman And Founder Of Charitable Organization Indicted for Tax Fraud

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office unsealed an indictment today, charging a Charlotte man with tax fraud for filing fraudulent income tax returns and failure to file income tax returns on money he transferred from a charitable organization he founded and controlled, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Michael Kahn, 65, is charged with two counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return, and two counts of failure to file a tax return. He appeared in court this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Omar J. Alboulhosn. Donald “Trey” Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Charlotte Field Office (IRS-CI), joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement. According to the indictment, the defendant established The Michael A. Kahn Family Foundation (The Foundation) in 2010 as a tax-exempt organization purportedly dedicated to advancing charitable, religious, and educational purposes. Kahn held all leadership roles within The Foundation, including Director, President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Chairman of the Board of Directors, and The Foundation had no other officers, board members, or employees. The indictment alleges that, between 2020 and 2023, Kahn transferred over $4.5 million from The Foundation to himself and failed to report those funds as income on his 2020 and 2021 tax returns filed with the IRS. The indictment also alleges that Kahn failed to file tax returns for calendar years 2022 and 2023, despite receiving income in excess of $25,900 and $27,700, respectively. Following the court hearing, Kahn was released on bond. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false tax return, and up to one year in prison for each count of failure to file a tax return. A federal district court judge will determine the ultimate sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The IRS-CI handled the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Caryn Finley of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is in charge of the prosecution. The charges against the defendant are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Orlando Man Indicted for Bank Fraud, False Statements, and Obstruction

body_text: Jacksonville, FL – Donald Heflin Mitchell (49, Orlando), a/k/a Arissess Maven Anglo-Busari Jr., has been charged by indictment with six counts of bank fraud, two counts of false statements on loan applications, and one count of obstruction of justice. If convicted, Mitchell faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison for each count of bank fraud and making a false statement. He faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment for the obstruction offense. The indictment also notifies Mitchell that the United States is seeking an order of forfeiture in the amount of $74,320, the proceeds of the alleged bank fraud. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to the indictment, in October 2025, Mitchell went to two different car dealers and applied for credit for the purpose of purchasing vehicles. On one application, Mitchell claimed to have been an investment banker for a prominent institution making $1.5 million annually and owning a home outright. Four days later, Mitchell submitted another application in which he claimed to have been a programmer for the previous 10 years and made $6,000 per month. According to the Bureau of Prisons and court records, Mitchell was released from a previous 15-year federal prison sentence for bank fraud on August 18, 2025. The indictment alleges that, later in October 2025, Mitchell met a person with diminished mental capacity and proceeded to financially exploit and defraud the victim by posing as the son of the victim’s deceased husband and obtaining funds from the victim’s bank accounts, including a $52,000 cashier’s check that Mitchell had issued to himself. Mitchell also presented a fraudulent power of attorney to the victim’s bank and attempted to gain control of the victim’s accounts. The indictment further alleges that, on November 6, 2025, Mitchell attempted to obstruct justice by presenting fraudulent documents in federal court purporting to show that he was the son of the deceased husband of the victim with diminished mental capacity. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Orlando Police Department, and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Cofer Taylor.


title: Lake County Man Pleads Guilty to Firearms Trafficking

body_text: Ocala, Florida – Fernando Munguia, Jr. (24, Leesburg) has pleaded guilty to nine counts of making a materially false statement in connection with the acquisition of a firearm and nine counts of causing a federal firearm licensee (FFL) to maintain false information in its official records. Munguia faces up to 10 years in federal prison for each false statement count and up to five years’ imprisonment for each count of causing an FFL to maintain false information in its official records. As part of his plea, Munguia has agreed to forfeit the nine firearms related to these offenses. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to court records, between January 1 and December 31, 2023, Munguia illegally straw-purchased multiple firearms. During the purchases, Munguia indicated on the mandatory background paperwork that he was the actual transferee/buyer of the firearms. Those statements were false since Munguia was being paid to purchase the firearms on behalf of someone else. Nine of the firearms purchased by Munguia—along with other guns—subsequently were intercepted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection on May 27, 2023, when another individual attempted to transport them from Eagle Pass, Texas across the United States’ border and into Mexico. Authorities intercepted Munguia’s firearms less than a month after he had purchased them. The firearms and ammunition seized at the U.S. border on May 27, 2023. A subsequent records check by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives showed that between January and November 2023, Munguia had purchased 44 firearms for a total of $23,334.25—an amount representing approximately two-thirds of his reported annual income. The records also showed that his purchases frequently involved multiple, identical firearms of the same model and caliber. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Custom and Border Protection. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson. 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: Mexican Citizen Pleads Guilty to Fourth Illegal Re-Entry Charge

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – A Mexican citizen pled guilty in federal court, today, to illegally re-entering the United States, and received a nine-month sentence. On January 18, 2025, Baltimore City Police Department (BPD) officers arrested Marvin Escobar-Artega, 34, in connection with unrelated charges. Law enforcement then discovered Escobar-Artega was an illegal alien previously removed from the U.S. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea and sentence with Acting Field Office Director Vernon Liggins, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE-ERO) – Baltimore Field Office. Escobar-Artega knowingly and voluntarily re-entered the United States for the fourth time, this time on an unknown date and at an unknown location. Law enforcement caught Escobar-Artega illegally entering the country on three previous occasions, all within less than a two-week span. He was last deported on April 22, 2020. According to the plea agreement, on February 28, 2020, Escobar-Artega first unlawfully entered the U.S. at the southern border, near Donna, Texas, without permission or inspection. On the same day, a U.S. immigration judge issued a Notice and Order of Expedited Removal. Then on March 1, Escobar-Artega was removed from the U.S. and deported to Mexico. Four days later, on March 5, Escobar-Artega illegally re-entered the U.S. for the second time, this time near Progreso, Texas. Law enforcement apprehended and deported Escobar-Artega to Mexico the following day on March 6. Then on March 10, Escobar-Artega illegally re-entered the U.S. for the third time, this time near Hidalgo, Texas, resulting in authorities deporting him to Mexico for the third time, on April 22. 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. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended ICE-ERO for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kertisha Dixon and Carolyn Mills who prosecuted the federal case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: First Brands Executives Charged With Multibillion-Dollar Fraud

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, David M. Toepfer, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), James C. Barnacle, Jr., Executive Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”) Washington, D.C. Field Office, Kareem Carter, and Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), Jared Murphey, announced today the unsealing of an indictment charging PATRICK JAMES, the founder and former CEO of First Brands Group, LLC (“First Brands”), and his brother EDWARD JAMES, a former senior executive at First Brands, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and multiple counts of wire fraud and bank fraud, in connection with various schemes to defraud lenders regarding the liabilities and financial condition of First Brands. PATRICK JAMES was charged in an additional count of managing a continuing financial crimes enterprise in connection with the charged schemes. As alleged in the indictment, PATRICK JAMES and EDWARD JAMES perpetrated a yearslong fraud at First Brands, eventually bankrupting the global automotive company in September 2025. At the time of its bankruptcy, First Brands—a company that reported approximately $5 billion in net annual sales worldwide—declared just $12 million in cash in its corporate bank accounts and over $9 billion in liabilities. As a consequence of the defendants’ fraudulent schemes, FIRST BRANDS’ lenders and creditors now face billions in losses. PATRICK JAMES and EDWARD JAMES were arrested in Ohio this morning and are expected to be presented later today in the Northern District of Ohio. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres. Also unsealed today is the guilty plea of PETER ANDREW BRUMBERGS in connection with his role in the scheme. BRUMBERGS pled guilty pursuant to an Information before U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres on January 26, 2026. BRUMBERGS is cooperating with the Government. “As alleged in the indictment, Patrick James, together with his brother, Edward James, perpetrated a staggering fraud at First Brands Group,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “The James brothers obtained billions for First Brands—and millions for themselves—by presenting their lenders with the impression of a successful, growing international business. The indictment and the guilty plea unsealed today describe a very different reality: a business run through fraud, fake documents, and false financials. Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue working tirelessly to uncover every aspect of this fraud and vindicate the rights of every victim.” “Individuals who lie about the financial health of their company for the purposes of greed create shockwaves across the business sector that endanger the economic wellbeing of others,” said U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer. “The fallout from selfish and deceptive actions—such as those alleged in this case—can cascade down to honest and hardworking company employees based right here in Ohio. Their jobs and livelihoods are at stake due to the corrupt actions of a few individuals. Together with our federal partners, we will seek justice on behalf of all victims affected by this travesty.” “These executives allegedly inflated invoices, double- and triple- pledged collateral, and falsified financial statements to unlawfully trick lenders into giving them billions of dollars,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “Not only did their alleged deceit exploit the integrity of our financing system, they also betrayed the trust of the companies funding First Brands by mispresenting their business’s financial position. The FBI will never cease its pursuit of fraudsters seeking to manipulate financial institutions for greedy gains.” “HSI remains ever vigilant to detect money laundering and financial fraud schemes that undercut fair and honest business practices, especially one like this, which allegedly contributed to billions in losses,” said HSI Detroit Acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “HSI special agents, alongside our FBI and IRS partners, remain committed to enforcing the rule of law and ensuring justice for victims. As law enforcement, we have a solemn responsibility to protect the integrity of our financial system and to hold violators accountable.” “The defendants operated First Brands as a ‘Ponzi’ scheme in which new loan proceeds were used to pay back old lenders and to fund their extravagant lifestyle,” said Executive Special Agent in Charge of the IRS-CI Washington, D.C. Field Office Kareem Carter. “Today’s announced indictment of defendants Patrick James and Edward James demonstrates IRS-CI special agents’ and our law enforcement partners’ commitment to investigate, prosecute, and hold accountable criminals who allegedly defraud banks and lenders out of billions of dollars. IRS Criminal Investigation special agents are specially equipped to follow the complex financial trail left by criminals, and I would like to thank our Global Illicit Financial Team for their vigilant, professional, and dedicated pursuit of those who attempt to enrich themselves through fraudulent means.” According to the allegations in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court: [1] From at least in or about 2018 through in or about 2025, PATRICK JAMES and EDWARD JAMES, the defendants, built and bankrupted First Brands Group, LLC (“First Brands”). First Brands operated as an automotive aftermarket parts supplier that developed, marketed, and sold replacement parts such as brakes, filters, wipers, and lights under various brand names. PATRICK JAMES, the defendant, founded First Brands and served as its Chief Executive Officer. EDWARD JAMES, the defendant, was First Brands’ former Senior Vice President and is PATRICK JAMES’s brother. As alleged, the defendants perpetrated multiple fraud schemes to fake and falsely inflate invoices for accounts receivable and payable; double- and triple-pledge loan collateral; falsify corporate financial statements; and conceal substantial liabilities from lenders. These schemes yielded billions of dollars in financing to First Brands and enabled PATRICK JAMES and EDWARD JAMES to reap millions of dollars in fraud proceeds. To sustain First Brands’ growth-through-acquisition strategy, PATRICK JAMES and EDWARD JAMES misled various counterparties to fraudulently inject cash into First Brands. First, PATRICK JAMES and EDWARD JAMES deceived First Brands’ factoring partners, that is, financing counterparties that purchased First Brands’ accounts receivable (invoices) and the right to payment thereunder, in exchange for advancing a portion of the value of those invoices upfront. At the direction and with the approval of PATRICK JAMES and EDWARD JAMES, the defendants, First Brands obtained billions in invoice-based financing from factors through a series of fraudulent schemes. As part of those schemes, and under the defendants’ direction and supervision, First Brands employees routinely submitted fake invoices, fraudulently inflated invoices, and double-pledged invoices for the purpose of selling and pledging them to factoring counterparties as if they represented valid, collectible receivables from customers. In some instances, invoices were generated for transactions that had never occurred, while in others the dollar amounts on invoices were altered to make them appear more valuable. Through the defendants’ fraud schemes, First Brands sold its factoring partners billions of dollars of purported customer receivables that did not exist. Second, First Brands defrauded factoring partners to whom it sold accounts payable (amounts owed to First Brands’ suppliers). At the direction and with the approval of PATRICK JAMES and EDWARD JAMES, the defendants, First Brands submitted false and misleading invoice information and false and misleading information about First Brands’ financial position to induce financers to increase the funds advanced, a portion of which First Brands diverted to itself to cover cash needs. At First Brands, these self-payments were referred to as “round trips” or, euphemistically, as “corporate initiatives.” PATRICK JAMES and EDWARD JAMES, the defendants, closely monitored and managed these “round trip” transactions as part of First Brands’ daily cash-management process. Third, PATRICK JAMES and EDWARD JAMES defrauded First Brands’ lenders by disseminating materially false and misleading financial information about the company and secretly encumbering assets subject to the lenders’ borrowing base and priority liens. At the direction and with the approval of PATRICK JAMES, First Brands employees made unsupportable financial statement adjustments to meet financial benchmarks set by PATRICK JAMES. To implement these directives, First Brands employees maintained internal “bridge” files that juxtaposed accurate corporate financials with the manipulated versions. Unbeknownst to First Brands’ lenders, PATRICK JAMES and EDWARD JAMES also incurred massive off-balance-sheet debt through inventory-financing arrangements involving entities wholly owned and controlled by PATRICK JAMES (the “James Entities”). The James Entities were nominally separate from First Brands. In fact, they had no independent business operations. Through the James Entities, PATRICK JAMES entered financing arrangements with at least three inventory financers (the “Off-Sheet Lenders”), whereby the lenders advanced funds to the James Entities to purchase inventory from First Brands. The James Entities, in turn, pledged that inventory purchased from First Brands back to the Off-Sheet Lenders as collateral for their loans. At the direction of PATRICK JAMES, the defendant, the inventory financing arrangements with the James Entities were maintained outside the First Brands corporate balance sheet and thereby concealed from First Brands’ senior lenders, who routinely requested and received First Brands’ financial statements. To further obscure the Off-Sheet Lenders as a source of funds to First Brands, PATRICK JAMES routed the loan proceeds from the Off-Sheet Lenders through a customer collections entity maintained outside the First Brands corporate structure, then disbursed the proceeds to First Brands subsidiaries before sweeping the funds into First Brands’ operating account. The defendants designed this flow of funds so that the funds appeared to be ordinary customer receipts from retail subsidiaries rather than loan proceeds from related-party financing arrangements with the James Entities. Finally, at the direction of PATRICK JAMES and EDWARD JAMES, First Brands made false and misleading representations to the Off-Sheet Lenders to fraudulently induce them to extend and expand financing. The James Entities pledged inventory that PATRICK JAMES and EDWARD JAMES, the defendants, purported to be unencumbered but in fact was already subject to liens by, or otherwise pledged to, First Brands’ senior lenders and remained on First Brands’ balance sheet. By 2025, after years of acquisitions and expansion using fraudulently obtained financing, First Brands faced overwhelming liabilities and unsustainable cash requirements. In 2025, PATRICK JAMES and EDWARD JAMES, the defendants, led efforts to refinance First Brands’ debt or to sell the company, including through last-ditch attempts to deceive lenders and potential acquirers by disseminating false financials. These efforts failed when First Brands was unable to provide the prospective counterparties with the financial diligence they sought. On September 28, 2025, First Brands filed for bankruptcy. Even as the frauds unraveled and First Brands’ financial issues mounted, PATRICK JAMES, the defendant, continued to enrich himself as the owner of First Brands. Through the series of frauds he directed, PATRICK JAMES caused billions of dollars in gross proceeds to flow into First Brands from counterparties and received at least hundreds of millions of dollars in gross proceeds into his personal accounts. * * * A chart containing the names, ages, residences, charges, and maximum penalties for the defendants is attached. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the FBI, IRS-CI, and HSI. Mr. Clayton further thanked the Northern Ohio Money Laundering Task Force. This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicholas W. Chiuchiolo, Marguerite B. Colson, Peter J. Davis, and Sarah Mortazavi, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael L. Collyer are in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Defendant Age Residence Charges Maximum Potential Sentence(s) Minimum Potential Sentence(s) United States v. Patrick James and Edward James , 26 Cr. 29 (AT) PATRICK JAMES 61 Chagrin Falls, OH Continuing Financial Crimes Enterprise, 18 U.S.C. § 225 (Count One) Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud Affecting a Financial Institution and Bank Fraud, 18 U.S.C. § 1349 (Count Two) Wire Fraud Affecting a Financial Institution, 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (Count Three) Wire Fraud Affecting a Financial Institution, 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (Count Four) Bank Fraud, 18 U.S.C. § 1344 (Count Five) Wire Fraud Affecting a Financial Institution, 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (Count Six) Bank Fraud, 18 U.S.C. § 1344 (Count Seven) Wire Fraud Affecting a Financial Institution, 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (Count Eight) Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering, 18 U.S.C. § 1956 (Count Nine) Life 30 years 30 years 30 years 30 years 30 years 30 years 30 years 20 years 10 years EDWARD JAMES 60 Canton, OH Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud Affecting a Financial Institution and Bank Fraud, 18 U.S.C. § 1349 (Count Two) Wire Fraud Affecting a Financial Institution, 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (Count Three) Wire Fraud Affecting a Financial Institution, 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (Count Four) Bank Fraud, 18 U.S.C. § 1344 (Count Five) Wire Fraud Affecting a Financial Institution, 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (Count Six) Bank Fraud, 18 U.S.C. § 1344 (Count Seven) Wire Fraud Affecting a Financial Institution, 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (Count Eight) Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering, 18 U.S.C. § 1956 (Count Nine) 30 years 30 years 30 years 30 years 30 years 30 years 30 years 20 years United States v. Peter Andrew Brumbergs , 26 Cr. 25 (AT) BRUMBERGS 45 Chagrin Falls, OH Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud Affecting a Financial Institution and Bank Fraud, 18 U.S.C. § 1349 (Count One) Wire Fraud Affecting a Financial Institution, 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (Count Two) Wire Fraud Affecting a Financial Institution, 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (Count Three) Bank Fraud, 18 U.S.C. § 1344 (Count Six) (Count Four) Wire Fraud Affecting a Financial Institution, 18 U.S.C. § 1349 (Count Five) Bank Fraud, 18 U.S.C. § 1344 (Count Six) Wire Fraud Affecting a Financial Institution, 18 U.S.C. § 1343 (Count Seven) Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering, 18 U.S.C. § 1956 (Count Eight) 30 years 30 years 30 years 30 years 30 years 30 years 30 years 20 years [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth in this release constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Western District of Virginia Recognizes National Human Trafficking Prevention Month

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Today the Western District of Virginia observes National Human Trafficking Prevention Month and joins the Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Homeland Security (DHS) in reaffirming the administration’s commitment to combating all forms of human trafficking and protecting victims and survivors. Human Trafficking Prevention Month presents an opportunity for DHS and DOJ, through Homeland Security Task Forces (HSTF) to intensify operational efforts, raise public awareness, and strengthen partnerships across federal, state, and local agencies to disrupt trafficking networks, protect vulnerable individuals, and ensure traffickers are brought to justice. “This Department of Justice is working tirelessly alongside our partners to dismantle human trafficking networks, help survivors, and protect vulnerable populations from being exploited,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Under this administration we have seen an increase in human trafficking prosecutions, and during Human Trafficking Prevention Month we reaffirm our commitment to prosecuting traffickers and encourage Americans to report instances of human trafficking in their communities.” “Through the Homeland Security Task Force, President Trump is taking the fight directly to human trafficking networks and disrupting their modern-day slave trade while seizing their assets and arresting their kingpins and foot soldiers. The American people should not have to live in fear of cartels, gang bangers, and foreign terrorists preying upon the most vulnerable among us,” the United States Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said in a statement. “The Homeland Security Task Force is the largest coordinated campaign against transnational criminal organizations in U.S. history, and I’m proud to co-lead it with Attorney General Bondi.” “During Human Trafficking Prevention Month, the FBI reiterates our work with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and national victim-based advocacy groups in joint task forces to protect our communities across the country,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The horrifying reach of human trafficking spreads far and wide. Homeland Security Task Forces are fighting back to disrupt these perilous networks and put a stop to that reach. The FBI will continue our investigations and bring justice to those exploited by human traffickers. “The Western District of Virginia will continue to work with our partners at the FBI, DHS, and other federal and state agencies to combat human trafficking, protect victims, and bring to justice those who line their pockets by exploiting and dehumanizing others,” Acting United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci said today. “Human trafficking is modern day slavery. It has no place in a civilized society, and we are dedicated to its eradication in the Western District of Virginia.” In January 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. Section 6 of this order directed the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security to jointly establish HSTFs in every state nationwide. The HSTF objective is to end the presence of criminal cartels, foreign gangs, and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) throughout the United States; dismantle cross-border human smuggling and trafficking networks; end the scourge of human smuggling and trafficking, with a particular focus on such offenses involving children; and ensure the use of all available law enforcement tools to faithfully execute the immigration laws of the United States. In January 2026, DHS and DOJ are surging resources to fight and raise awareness about human trafficking, including: • Identifying ongoing investigations and prioritizing featured operations across 45 federal locations and 10 state locations with an emphasis on border states. • Coordinating with FBI Human Trafficking Squads and multi-agency Human Trafficking Task Forces to conduct victim recovery. • Partnering with AMTRAK and FAMS to increase law enforcement resources and distribute posters with QR codes for reporting human trafficking in all station bathrooms and trains. • Running advertisements related to $250 million recovery from Backpage to distribute to victims and additional victim restitution efforts by DOL-OIG. • Organizing Human Trafficking seminars and outreach events with DHS Center for Countering Human Trafficking at high schools and colleges to highlight the role of HSTFs in addressing human trafficking. On August 25, 2025, HSTF officially launched its effort to protect the Homeland with a September Surge encompassing 400 operations nationwide. In just 43 days, HSTF nationwide operations resulted in 3,266 arrests and seizures including: • 1,041 Sinaloa members, • 856 Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (“CJNG”) members, • 641 MS-13 members, • 456 Tren de Aragua members, • 1,067 weapons • More than $3,250,000 in currency • Approximately 91 metric tons of narcotics


body_text: Greenville Man Sentenced to over Seven Years for Robbing a Bank a Second Time CONCORD – A repeat offender was sentenced today in federal court for robbing the same bank for a second time, while on federal supervised release for the first robbery, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. Eric Lord, 55, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Joseph Laplante to 87 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release. On October 6, 2025, Lord had pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery. “Eric Lord’s decision to victimize the same bank he targeted a decade ago is part of a long pattern of robbery and threats that he refuses to stop,” said U.S. Attorney Creegan. “Today’s sentence underscores our commitment to protecting the public from repeat offenders who threaten violence in our communities.” “Eric Lord has been here before,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “He robbed the same exact bank a decade ago and was locked up in federal prison. He had the chance to change his ways when he got out. Instead, this career criminal picked up right where he left off. Taking those who terrorize our communities off the street is a priority for the FBI and our partners, as we work together to crack down on violent crime and keep the public safe.” Lord robbed the TD Bank in New Ipswich on April 2, 2025. On that day, he passed a note to tellers reading “$8,000 in 30 seconds or I shoot you where you stand!” He stole $8,463 before fleeing. He spent some of the stolen money on drugs and lodging. Lord was on federal supervised release when he committed the robbery. Local law enforcement and Lord’s probation officer quickly identified him as the robber. Lord was previously convicted in federal court for robbing the same TD Bank in 2014. On that occasion, Lord passed a note to tellers reading “I HAVE A GUN” and demanding $4,000. He committed the 2014 robbery just one day after being paroled for state burglary convictions. The New Ipswich Police Department and FBI led the investigation. The Hillsborough County Attorney’s Office and Greenwich Police Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen prosecuted the case.


title: Doctor Convicted at Trial for Defrauding IRS and Health Care Insurers

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A federal jury in Boston, Massachusetts, convicted a medical doctor Tuesday for health care fraud, money laundering, conspiracy to defraud the IRS, and tax evasion. “Over ten years, the defendant hid millions in income from the IRS and defrauded insurers through his medical practice,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The defendant—a highly educated physician — put greed over his integrity, lining his own pockets through lies and deceit at the expense insurers and Americans who pay healthcare premiums, then doubling down on his lies and deceit and attempting to hide his ill-gotten gains from the IRS. The Criminal Division will prosecute doctors and other professionals like this defendant who abuse the system, and through their crimes, inflate insurance costs for all Americans and fail to pay their taxes due and owing.” According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Dr. Pankaj Merchia, of Boca Raton, Florida and Brookline, Massachusetts, was a Harvard-educated sleep doctor who controlled several sleep medicine companies. From 2017 to 2019, the defendant fraudulently billed insurance companies millions of dollars for sleep apnea machines that had not been used by his former patients for years. Merchia billed up to hundreds of thousands of dollars per patient for the medical devices, even when in some cases those patients had returned the devices to him. Merchia used the proceeds of the fraud to purchase a $2.1 million home in Brookline, Massachusetts. Merchia also defrauded a health insurer out of over $390,000 by submitting fraudulent claims for treating his brother. After being told that he could not bill insurance for treating a family member, Merchia created a new medical business in the name of a nominee and submitted new claims so that the insurance company would continue paying the illicit reimbursement. In addition, from 2009 to 2019, Merchia did not report, or pay tax on, over $6.5 million [PC1] in income he earned from his medical businesses by falsely claiming that those businesses were owned by a co-conspirator. To defraud the IRS, Merchia fabricated a sham transaction, falsely claiming that he sold his medical businesses back in 2008. To ensure that his co-conspirator did not owe taxes, they claimed deductions, spread across many years, for the fabricated sale payment. Merchia was convicted of one count of health care fraud, three counts of money laundering, one count of conspiracy to defraud the IRS, and two counts of tax evasion. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 28, 2026. Each count of healthcare fraud and money laundering carries a maximum penalty of ten years in prison. Tax evasion and conspiracy to defraud the IRS each carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison. IRS Criminal Investigation and the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts are investigating the case. Trial Attorney Ezra Spiro of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Gallagher of the District of Massachusetts are prosecuting the case.


title: Durant Man Sentenced to 84 Months in Federal Prison for Transportation of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Durant man was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for transportation of child pornography. According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received multiple CyberTips that an account, later determined to be associated with Bryce Kenneth Gregoire, 31, had files containing child sexual abuse material, which Gregoire uploaded. Further investigation showed that Gregoire had uploaded images and videos containing child sexual abuse material to his account, including the material from the CyberTips, from his residence, and his personal cell phone. Gregoire’s account also contained images and videos of child sexual abuse material that was not included in the CyberTips. After completing his term of imprisonment, Gregoire will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Gregoire was also ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution. United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Davenport 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: Marshalltown Man Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Meth

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who illegally possessed nearly three kilograms of methamphetamine was sentenced January 28, 2026, to more than twelve years in federal prison. Marcos Servin, age 23, from Marshalltown, Iowa, received the prison term after a September 3, 2025, guilty plea to possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute. Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that law enforcement officers stopped Servin as he was driving on October 23, 2024. During the traffic stop, a narcotic detection K9 positively indicated the presence of an odor of a controlled substance within Servin’s car. Officers searched Servin’s car and located over 900 grams of ice methamphetamine. Law enforcement officers later searched a Des Moines home that Servin had left earlier that day. Officers located over 1,900 grams of ice methamphetamine inside the home. Servin was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Servin was sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Servin is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael Hudson and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Mid-Iowa Drug Task Force, the Iowa State Patrol, and the Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force, consisting of the Waterloo Police Department, Cedar Falls Police Department, Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Department, Evansdale Police Department, Waverly Police Department, Hudson Police Department, La Porte City Police Department, and the Bremer County Sheriff’s Office. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-CR-97. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.