title: Grand Jury Returns Indictments

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. - A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned the following indictments today. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation, and a person named as defendant in an indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Wausau Man Charged with Possessing Child Pornography Brett Hart, 23, Wausau, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing child pornography. The indictment alleges that on December 2, 2025, Hart possessed a hard drive containing child pornography. If convicted, Hart faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Louis Glinzak and Elizabeth Altman are handling the case. Lac Du Flambeau Man Charged with Straw Purchasing Firearm Alizay Doss, 27, Lac du Flambeau, Wisconsin, is charged with making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm. The indictment alleges that on March 4, 2025, Doss made a false statement to a licensed firearm dealer while purchasing a firearm. Specifically, he represented that he was the actual buyer of the firearm when in fact he purchased the firearm for another individual. If convicted, Doss faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison. The charges against Doss are the result of an investigation conducted by the Vilas County Sheriff’s Office, Lac du Flambeau Police Department, and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force is comprised of federal agents from ATF as well as state and local agents throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus is handling the case. Madison Man Charged with Illegally Possessing Firearm Billy D. Shell, Jr., 28, Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The indictment alleges that on April 12, 2025, Shell possessed a 9mm handgun. If convicted, Shell faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force. Madison Man Charged with Illegally Possessing Ammunition and Unregistered Silencers as a Convicted Felon Christopher Perrote, 39, Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with being a felon in possession of ammunition and possessing unregistered silencers. The indictment alleges that on August 27, 2024, Perrote possessed ammunition and two unregistered silencers after having been previously convicted of a felony offense. If convicted, Perrote faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison on the ammunition charges, and 10 years in prison on the silencer charges. The charges against him are the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department, the FBI, and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan is handling the case. Fitchburg Man Charged with Illegally Possessing Firearms and Ammunition Owen Roberson, 20, Fitchburg, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing firearms and ammunition as a felon. The indictment alleges that on September 29, 2025, Roberson possessed a Glock 21 firearm loaded with .45 caliber ammunition. The indictment further alleges that on September 28, 2025, Roberson possessed an Anderson Manufacturing AM 15 rifle. If convicted, Roberson faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. The charges against him are the result of an investigation conducted by the Fitchburg Police Department and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus is handling the case. The firearms cases in the press release are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the U.S. Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). # # #


title: East Bay Woman Sentenced To More Than Two Years In Prison For Embezzling Over $1.6 Million From Charity Serving Young People

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: OAKLAND – Carrie Lynn Grant was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison for embezzling over $1.6 million dollars from a Northern California charity organization that provides educational materials and programs to prepare young people to succeed in a global economy. U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín handed down the sentence this week. Grant, 62, of Pleasant Hill, California, was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 22, 2024. Grant pleaded guilty on August 11, 2025, to one count of wire fraud. According to the plea agreement and court documents, over a period of years from November 2017 to June 2023, Grant abused her role as the finance manager of the charity, depositing charity money into her personal account while creating fraudulent records to cover her tracks. Grant spent the money on, among other things, first-class air travel, floor seats for a Golden State Warriors game, box seats for a San Francisco 49ers game, and a condominium in Hawaii. In total, Grant stole more than $1.6 million dollars from the non-profit organization. United States Attorney Craig Missakian and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Agustin Lopez made the announcement. In addition to the prison term, Judge Martínez-Olguín also sentenced the defendant to a three-year period of supervised release. The Court will determine the amount of restitution Grant must pay at a later date. The defendant will begin serving the sentence on March 9, 2026. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan M. Mateer is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Christine Tian and Amala James. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.


title: Mexican man sentenced for illegal reentry

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: MISSOULA – A man from Mexico who was in the United States illegally was sentenced today to time served – 200 days in custody – to be followed by one year of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Eduardo Heriberto Mendoza-Almanza, 41, pleaded guilty to one count of illegal reentry of a removed alien. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. The government alleged in court documents that Mendoza-Almanza was arrested on April 6, 2025, in Belgrade, Montana, after an officer stopped him for driving with no license plate light after dark. He was identified with his Mexico driver’s license. His driving privileges were suspended in Montana and revoked in New Mexico. He also had numerous active warrants. He was arrested for driving without a license. Mendoza-Almanza has been removed from the U.S. on eight prior occasions: March 6, 2006 February 2, 2007 February 22, 2007 February 25, 2007 May 11, 2007 January 11, 2008 June 18, 2011 September 5, 2023 He was convicted previously of felony illegal reentry in Montana on March 15, 2023. He was sentenced to time served and removed. There is no record he applied for or was granted permission by the Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to return to the United States. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted the investigation. 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 Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Clark County Employee Indicted For Stealing Money From The Estates Of Deceased County Residents

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – A Clark County employee, who used her position with the County to gain access to the financial accounts of deceased Clark County residents, made her initial appearance in court today on a federal indictment that charged her with three counts of laundering the proceeds of her scheme to bilk the estates of the deceased residents for tens of thousands of dollars. According to allegations in the indictment, TinaTheresa Poto-Nunu was employed by the Clark County Public Guardian’s Office where she unlawfully gained access to the financial information of deceased Clark County residents whose estates were administered by the Clark County Public Administrator. According to the indictment, Poto-Nunu then used that information to gain access to the financial accounts of the deceased individuals and then fraudulently transferred money from those accounts to pay down a credit card account she used for her personal expenses such as travel and rent. Poto-Nunu is charged with one count of money laundering and two counts of money transactions in criminally derived property. If convicted of all counts, the statutory maximum penalty is 40 years in prison and a $750,000 fine. A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada, Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto for the FBI Las Vegas Division, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jarom Gregory for the IRS Criminal Investigation's Phoenix Field Office made the announcement. This case was investigated by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Afroza Yeasmin is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Spokane Physician Pays $120,000 to Resolve Allegations He Prescribed Controlled Substances Without Legitimate Medical Purpose

component: USAO - Washington, Eastern

body_text: Spokane, Washington – First Assistant United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced that Dr. Duncan Lahtinen, a licensed physician, has paid $120,000.00 in penalties to resolve allegations that he wrote prescriptions for controlled substances that lacked legitimate medical purposes or were outside the usual course of his professional practice. Between 2017 and 2025, Dr. Lahtinen issued over 1,400 prescriptions for controlled substances to thirteen identified patients, many of which were issued in some combination of opioids, benzodiazepines, sedatives, and carisoprodol. These combinations of controlled substances are dangerous and highly abused by those with substance use disorders. In issuing the prescriptions, the United States alleged Dr. Lahtinen failed to address numerous red flags of substance abuse by his patents. The United States contended that Dr. Lahtinen’s conduct rendered him liable to the United States for civil penalties and damages under the Controlled Substances Act and the False Claims Act. Dr. Lahtinen had previously been sanctioned twice by the Washington Department of Health for improper controlled substance prescribing practices. “Doctors are highly educated and sophisticated individuals who are trusted with the ability to prescribe controlled substances for legitimate medical purposes. When a doctor abuses that power, they trade all the principles of patient care and become drug dealers in white coats. The United States Attorney’s Office will investigate and hold accountable physicians who prescribe controlled substances in this manner,” said First Assistant Serrano. “DEA holds physicians who prescribe controlled substances to a very high standard so they do not become drug dealers with a medical license,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “Dr. Lahtinen failed to uphold this standard and DEA and our partners held him accountable.” “Physicians who distribute controlled substances outside the usual course of professional practice undermine the ongoing public health efforts to address the opioid crisis and the safety and well-being of the public,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey McIntosh of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to relentlessly investigate such allegations to protect patients, the public, and American taxpayers from this dangerous conduct.” The settlement can be found here. The settlement was the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Seattle Field Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy Kelley of the Eastern District of Washington handled this matter on behalf of the United States.


title: Bryan County Resident Sentenced For Illegally Possessing Firearm

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

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Sammy Lynn Key, age 45, of Colbert, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm. The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Atoka County Sheriff’s Office. On August 5, 2025, Key pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on September 23, 2022, deputies investigating reports of a stolen vehicle discovered Key in possession of a .38 Special caliber revolver. At the time of the investigation, Key had been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment. 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. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Key will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan E. Soverly and Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.


title: Tahlequah Resident Pleads Guilty To Illegally Possessing Firearms And Ammunition

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that David Dewey McDaniel, age 42, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information of one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The Information charged McDaniel with knowingly possessing one .22 Magnum caliber revolver, one .223 Remington caliber break-open rifle, and assorted ammunition on January 31, 2025, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment. The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office. The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. McDaniel will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia Staubus and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Howanitz represented the United States.


title: Illegal Immigrant Sentenced to Time Served in Prison

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – A Honduran national was sentenced today to time served in prison for illegally reentering the United States after previously having been deported. According to court documents, Jhostin Nunez-Murcia, 36, was the driver of a vehicle stopped by the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office on September 12, 2025, for a traffic violation. Mobile County deputies suspected that Nunez-Murcia was not a United States citizen, so they contacted law enforcement personnel with U.S. Border Patrol. A Border Patrol agent was able to determine that Nunez-Murcia had previously been removed from the United States in 2012. At sentencing, U.S. District Judge Terry F. Moorer imposed a time-served sentence of incarceration and a one-year term of supervised release upon his release. Upon his release from prison, Nunez-Murcia is to be referred to immigration officials for deportation proceedings. Nunez-Murcia was ordered to pay $100 in special assessments. U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. The Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica S. Terrill prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: United States Citizen Successfully Extradited from South Africa After Kidnapping His Children in 2021

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Brad D. Schimel, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging a Wisconsin man, Clyde Lewis Springfield (41) with the crime of international parental kidnapping. According to a criminal complaint previously filed in the case, on or about October 29, 2021, Springfield left the United States with his four children and failed to return two of them on November 3, 2021, in accordance with their child custody agreement. Travel records showed that the defendant took his children to South Africa and did not return them to the United States on their scheduled return flight. Authorities obtained a federal criminal complaint against Springfield on November 24, 2021. On March 16, 2022, through combined efforts of the Department of Justice and law enforcement, the children were located, rescued, and returned safely to the United States. Through an international extradition process, Springfield was returned to the United States on November 20, 2025, and arrested. If convicted of international parental kidnapping, he faces up to three years of prison, up to a $250k fine, and up to one year of supervised release. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the West Allis Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), and the United States Marshall’s Service (USMS) are investigating this case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in South Africa to secure the arrest and November 20 extradition to the United States of Lewis-Springfield. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan J. Thomas is prosecuting the case. This investigation is a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. # # # For further information contact: Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero (414) 297-1700 Follow us on X


title: Decatur man pleads guilty to illegally operating drone over Truist Park during MLB All-Star Game

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA - Mitchell Parsons Hughes has pleaded guilty to committing a federal crime by flying a drone over Truist Park during the Major League Baseball All-Star game in July 2025 and was sentenced to six months’ probation. “Anyone attempting to fly a drone in a prohibited manner can expect to be prosecuted,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Flight restrictions are implemented for the safety of everyone, whether at the event or nearby. My office and its partners will enforce the law to protect the community whenever a major event, such as the upcoming FIFA World Cup, is hosted in our district.” “Flying a small drone means you are flying an aircraft, and unsafe behavior will cost you,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “These actions can be dangerous to the public and interfere with security operations.” "Drone regulations protect the public and ensure the safety of our national airspace,” said Joseph Harris, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General’s Southern Region. “Flying drones illegally—especially above large sporting events filled with families, friends, and fans—poses serious risks. This guilty plea highlights our continued dedication to working with our law enforcement partners to hold offenders accountable and avert dangerous incidents.” According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) put a temporary flight restriction (TFR) in place for Truist Park during the July 15, 2025, Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Star game, designating it a No Drone Zone. A TFR restricts certain aircraft, including an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), commonly known as a “drone,” from operating within a one nautical mile radius of the stadium. Introducing a TFR for stadiums or sports venues hosting regular or post-season contests is standard practice for the NFL, MLB, NCAA Division I, Major League Soccer, and NASCAR. The TFR goes into effect one hour before the scheduled start time and lasts until one hour after the end of a qualifying event. There is a zero-tolerance policy regarding drone use anywhere within the FAA’s No Drone Zone. Anyone who attempts to fly a drone in any prohibited manner is subject to arrest, prosecution, fines, and/or imprisonment. During the MLB All-Star game, Mitchell Parson Hughes flew a drone directly over Truist Park despite being warned about the flight restrictions on his UAS’s control panel. Hughes also admitted that his drone was not registered and that he lacked the required training and licensing, including a remote pilot certificate, to operate a UAS. On December 5, 2025, Mitchell Parsons Hughes, 47, of Decatur, Ga., pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging him with knowingly violating national defense airspace. Hughes was sentenced by U.S. Magistrate Judge Russell Vineyard to six months’ probation and a $500 fine. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Transportation - Office of the Inspector General. U.S. Attorney Hertzberg also commended the FAA and the Cobb County Police Department for their work in the investigation. 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: Baltimore Man Sentenced for Role in Eastern Panhandle Drug Trafficking Organization

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Charles Delroy Singletary, 45, of Baltimore, Maryland, was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for his involvement in a drug trafficking organization that sold substantial amounts of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. The indictment, returned in January 2024 charged 82 defendants, including Gary Brown, Jr., for their roles in the operation. According to statements made in court, Singletary was one of the workers for the operation, ensuring drug customers were receiving their controlled substances. Singletary was a fugitive for 18 months following the initial indictment and used using multiple aliases during his fugitive status. All 82 defendants have been convicted and 81 defendants, including Singletary, have been sentenced. Brown, Jr. was sentenced to 327 months in federal prison in May 2025. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lara Omps-Botteicher and Kyle Kane prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government. U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided. Investigative agencies include the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Pittsburgh Field Division and Baltimore Field Division); the Drug Enforcement Administration; the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations; the United States Postal Inspection Service; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the United States Marshals Service; the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the West Virginia State Police; the West Virginia Air National Guard; the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office; the Berkeley County Sheriff's Office; Ranson Police Department; Martinsburg Police Department; Charles Town Police Department; the Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office; Stafford County Sheriff's Office (Virginia); Frederick County Sheriff's Office (Maryland); Frederick County Sheriff's Office (Virginia); Winchester Police Department; and the Clarke County Sheriff's Office (Virginia). This investigation 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 Neighborhood (PSN). Find the original case press release here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/investigators-dismantle-fentanyl-drug-trafficking-network-eastern-panhandle


title: Springfield Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing Firearms and Filing False Tax Return

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to unlawfully possessing firearms and filing a false tax return. Marco Lorimer Denis, 50, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawfully possessing a firearm, and one count of filing a false tax return. At the time of the offenses, Denis was the owner of Springfield Property LLC, a company providing retail and commercial rental space, including at Plaza Towers in Springfield. As part of his plea, Denis admitted to knowingly possessing firearms when he had previously been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. Denis pleaded guilty in 2003 to misdemeanor domestic assault in the Greene County, Mo., Circuit Court. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence to be in possession of a firearm. In December 2012, Denis attempted to purchase a firearm from a federal firearm licensee. His purchase was immediately denied after a background check, resulting in the federal firearm licensee refusing to transfer the firearm to Denis. On July 15 and 16, 2024, as part of a domestic violence investigation, officers with the Springfield Police Department executed search warrants at Denis’s residence and located 8 firearms in his residence and in the driver’s side door panel of his vehicle. Denis also admitted to filing a false tax return for the calendar year 2023. Denis’s 2023 tax return, which was filed in March 2025, did not include $57,391.06 of income he received in the course of operating Springfield Property, LLC. The IRS tax loss associated with Denis’s unreported income is $24,749. Under federal statutes, Denis is subject to a sentence of up to 15 years in federal prison without parole and a fine of up to $250,000 for unlawfully possessing firearms; and a sentence of up to 3 years in federal prison without parole and a fine of up to $250,000, and an order of restitution, for filing a false tax return. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie L. Wan and Casey Clark. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, and IRS-Criminal Investigation.


title: Illegal Alien Charged with Assaulting Officer During Lawful Removal Enforcement

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: CHARLESTON, S.C. — An illegal alien residing in the United States has been charged with assaulting a federal officer during a lawful removal enforcement operation. Alexander Garcia Vargas, 24, is charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding a federal officer. He was illegally residing in North Charleston. On Dec. 6, agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers were supporting an immigration enforcement operation being led by ICE – ERO in North Charleston. During the operation, officers encountered Garcia Vargas driving a vehicle registered in Garcia Vargas’ name. According to ICE records, Garcia Vargas is residing in the United States illegally and has a court order for his removal. During a traffic stop, Garcia Vargas refused to roll down his window but produced an ID confirming his identity as Garcia Vargas. When an officer attempted to remove Garcia Vargas from the vehicle, he began intentionally driving his vehicle, hitting two police vehicles and injuring the officer. After Garcia Vargas fled the scene of the vehicle stop, Garcia Vargas lost control of his vehicle and struck a third vehicle, which was occupied by two CBP Officers. ERO and CBP officers were then able to remove Garcia Vargas from his wrecked vehicle and place him under arrest. Garcia Vargas made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mary Gordon Baker on Dec. 8 and will have a detention hearing and preliminary hearing on Dec. 10. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cole Shannon is prosecuting the case. All charges in the complaint are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Department of Justice Rule Restores Equal Protection for All in Civil Rights Enforcement

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Today, the Justice Department issued a final rule updating its regulations under Title VI of the Civil Rights of 1964. This rule ensures that our nation’s federal civil rights laws are firmly grounded in the principle of equal treatment under the law by eliminating disparate-impact liability from its Title VI regulations. “For decades, the Justice Department has used disparate-impact liability to undermine the constitutional principle that all Americans must be treated equally under the law,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “No longer. This Department of Justice is eliminating its regulations that for far too long required recipients of federal funding to make decisions based on race.” “The prior ‘disparate impact’ regulations encouraged people to file lawsuits challenging racially neutral policies, without evidence of intentional discrimination,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Our rejection of this theory will restore true equality under the law by requiring proof of actual discrimination, rather than enforcing race- or sex-based quotas or assumptions.” “For over 50 years, the prior disparate-impact rule fostered the very thing the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited — discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin. But with today’s rule,” said Chief of Staff and Supervisory Official for the Office of Legal Policy Nicholas Schilling. “The Department reaffirms Congress’ commitment to measure all Americans by merit.” Congress enacted Title VI, 42 U.S.C. § 2000d, as part of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964. It prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin in programs and activities receiving Federal financial assistance. In 1973, the federal government added to the law a new rule — disparate impact — that was not part of the law. The term “disparate impact” refers to the concept of imposing liability on a federal fund recipient only because there may be different outcomes for different people, not based on prejudice or intent. That prior disparate-impact rule was already enjoined in one state, prohibiting DOJ from enforcing it there. The Department’s new rule reflects the best reading of Title VI, as the Supreme Court has repeatedly recognized for over twenty years. Title VI has and will continue to prohibit intentional discrimination. The Department’s new rule ensures that recipients of federal funding will be judged on their actual conduct, not on statistical outcomes or circumstances beyond their control. Despite decades of case law, the Department’s prior Title VI disparate-impact regulations remained on the books, sowing confusion and creating costly compliance obligations for states, local governments, nonprofits, and private organizations receiving federal financial assistance. This new rule eliminates these burdens, promotes consistent enforcement across agencies, and restores public confidence in civil rights law by aligning the Department’s regulations with the Constitution.


title: Tucson Man Indicted for Unauthorized Excavation and Trafficking of Archeological Resources from the Gila River Indian Community

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – On December 3, 2025, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned a two-count indictment against Leo Reynoso, 46, of Tucson, Arizona, for violations of the Archeological Resources Protection Act. The indictment alleges that Reynoso excavated, removed, or damaged archeological resources, without authorization, that were located on the Gila River Indian Community, a federally recognized Indian tribe. Reynoso excavated and removed numerous artifacts from known archeological sites located on tribal land. The items included Indian Trader tokens, coins, buttons, crucifixes, jewelry, and other items. The indictment also alleges that Reynoso trafficked archeological resources by selling some of the items that were excavated without a permit. An archeological damage assessment estimated the commercial value of the artifacts to be approximately $5,700; the archeological value to be approximately $29,000; and the cost of restoration and repair of the sites to be approximately $23,000. A conviction for each count of Unauthorized Excavation of Archeological Resources and Trafficking in Archeological Resources carries a maximum penalty two years imprisonment and a $20,000 fine. The United States Forest Service and the Gila River Indian Community Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution. An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. CASE NUMBER: 25-CR-05253-TUC-RCC RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-172_Reynoso # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Former Student Arrested And Charged For Bomb Hoax On College Campus

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Christopher G. Raia, announced the arrest of NIGEL TRENH in connection with a bomb hoax that resulted in the evacuation of a college dormitory in the Southern District of New York in August. TRENH was arrested by the FBI on December 8, 2025, in Los Angeles and presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Steve Kim in the Central District of California. He will make his initial appearance in White Plains federal court on December 18, 2025. “As alleged, Nigel Trenh used social media to spread false information about a bomb and active shooter on a college campus, forcing an evacuation of students, family members, and college staff on their move-in day,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Hoaxes related to explosives and violence sow fear and panic, and waste limited law enforcement and emergency resources.” “Nigel Trenh allegedly posted misleading warnings of a bomb and active shooter at his former college, resulting in the full evacuation of a dormitory and first responders rushing to an empty scene,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia. “Trenh’s alleged hoax unnecessarily incited fear on one of our local campuses and diverted law enforcement resources from legitimate calls. May this arrest serve as a deterrent to others; the FBI is committed to investigating any individual who cries wolf about mass violence, regardless of where they may be located.” As alleged in the Complaint filed in White Plains federal court: [1] TRENH, a former student at a college in the Southern District of New York (“College-1”), published the following anonymous post on August 29, 2025, on the social media platform Fizz, which warned of a bomb in the third-floor restroom of a College-1 dormitory and an active shooter on campus: When College-1 students saw the post on the morning of August 29, 2025, they reported it to College-1 security personnel, who in turn reported it to local law enforcement. Within minutes, law enforcement officers from multiple agencies responded to the report and converged on campus, evacuating the dormitory to conduct a full sweep of the premises with the support of K9 units. This sweep ultimately confirmed that the post was a hoax. As alleged, the August 29 Fizz post was part of a broader pattern of unsolicited threatening and/or harassing communications sent by TRENH to College-1 personnel, including e-mails and messages making express reference to on-campus violence and school shootings. TRENH’s communications continued even after he was questioned by federal law enforcement officers regarding the August 29 bomb hoax. * * * TRENH, 22, of Los Angeles, California, is charged with maliciously conveying false information involving an explosive, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, and false information and a hoax involving explosives and firearms, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI New York Office Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force, together with the Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department, the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department, the New York State Police, and the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Sarlitto is in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: ROMANIAN NATIONAL SENTENCED FOR BANK FRAUD AND FALSE STATEMENT TO A FEDERAL AGENCY IN ATM “SKIMMING” SCHEME

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Daniel Balan, 47, of Bacau, Romania, was sentenced to more than three years in prison after previously pleading guilty to five counts of bank fraud, five counts of aggravated identity theft, one count of possessing 15 or more access devices, and making a false statement to a federal agency in connection with an ATM “skimming” scheme. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This offender exploited numerous innocent victims for his own financial gain, but thanks to the outstanding investigative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners he will enjoy an extended stay behind bars. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute these crimes to vindicate the victims exploited by these offenses and hold the fraudsters accountable to the fullest extent of the law.” Court documents reflect that beginning on January 28, 2025, the defendant placed “skimming” devices and cameras on multiple ATMs in the Tallahassee, Florida area. The devices and cameras were used to capture customer account and access device information. Then, between February 8 and 9, 2025, the defendant used the stolen information to fraudulently obtain $56,340 in customer funds. At the time of arrest, law enforcement found 28 gift cards in the defendant’s pocket that had been encoded with stolen account information and labeled with a corresponding PIN. “ATM skimming is not just a crime against individual account holders—it undermines public trust in our banking systems,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “Victims suffer financial losses and stress, banks and businesses face increased costs, and law enforcement resources are diverted to investigate these schemes. This sentence demonstrates HSI’s commitment to work tirelessly alongside our law enforcement partners to protecting our community from these fraud schemes and ensuring that those responsible are held accountable.” “The successful resolution of this case highlights the strength of our partnership with Homeland Security Investigations and federal prosecutors. Together, we were able to stop a sophisticated scheme that targeted innocent people across Leon County,” said Sheriff Walt McNeil, Leon County Sheriff’s Office. The case involved a joint investigation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Justin M. Keen and Eric W. Welch. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: PANAMA CITY FELON SENTENCED FOR POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE COCAINE AND POSSESSION OF FIREARM

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Marlow Allen, 45, of Panama City, Florida, has been sentenced to a five-year term of imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and unlawful 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: “Keeping our communities safe and drug-free remains a top priority of our state and federal law enforcement partners, and my office will pursue aggressive prosecutions of crimes like this with the full force of the law. President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi promised to Take Back America from the violent criminals who have preyed upon our communities for far too long, and this successful prosecution delivers on that promise.” Court documents reflect that in June 2022, as part of an ongoing drug investigation, law enforcement executed a search warrant at multiple residences connected to Allen in Panama City, Florida. During the search of the two residences, investigators located “crack” cocaine, powder cocaine, marijuana, two firearms, as well as other items indicative of drug distribution. Allen is a convicted felon, who has previously been convicted of numerous felony offenses, including Possession with Intent to Deliver Cocaine, Sale of Cocaine, Possession of Cocaine, Unlawful Firearms Possession, Unlawful Discharge of a Firearm, and Tampering with a Witness. The case involved a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Bay County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric K Mountin. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: NINE INDIVIDUALS CHARGED WITH FEDERAL CRIMES

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – United States Attorney John P. Heekin announced today that nine individuals were indicted in the Pensacola division of the Northern District of Florida. The following indictments were filed in the Pensacola division: Basilio Coxcahua-Arohua, a citizen of Mexico, indicted for illegal reentry after deportation or removal. Luis Manuel Moscoso-Vidal, a citizen of Guatemala, indicted for illegal reentry after deportation or removal. Marco Olavarrieta-Beranza, a citizen of Mexico, indicted for illegal reentry after deportation or removal. Roberto Rios-Narvaez, a citizen of Mexico, indicted for illegal reentry after deportation or removal. Melvin Roberto Saavedra-Vasquez, a citizen of Honduras, indicted for illegal reentry after deportation or removal. Edin Francisco Trinidad-Moradel, a citizen of Honduras, indicted for illegal reentry after deportation or removal. Yunior Joehl Vasquez-Garcia, a citizen of Honduras, indicted for illegal reentry after deportation or removal. Tyronzia Roquza Levine , of Pensacola, Florida, indicted for one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance (more than five grams of methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, and marijuana), one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Isaiah Markeis Sims, of Pensacola, Florida, indicted for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Law enforcement agencies conducting the investigations included the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Brooke A. DiSalvo and Jessica S. Etherton. 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. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Former Pike County police officer sentenced to 10 years in prison for running steroid, cocaine ring

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Pike County man was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 120 months in prison for leading a drug trafficking ring responsible for mailing more than 2,500 parcels of steroids and distributing 11 kilograms of cocaine. Mark Anglemyer, Jr., 42, of Waverly, Ohio, imported precursor chemicals from China and traveled across the country and internationally to secure narcotics. Anglemyer previously worked as a police officer with the Pike County Sheriff’s Office and the Piketon, Waverly and Wellston police departments. According to court documents, from 2019 to 2024, Anglemyer ran a drug trafficking operation out of Waverly, dealing both anabolic steroids and cocaine. As part of his operation, Anglemyer imported raw materials from China to manufacture the steroids. He then produced the powder and liquid steroid mixtures at various co-conspirators’ residences in Pike County. Finally, the defendant shipped the steroids to customers across the country via the United States Postal Service. Anglemyer also obtained kilogram quantities of cocaine from California for local distribution in Waverly. When Anglemyer’s California cocaine suppliers were arrested by federal authorities, he and a co-conspirator flew to Colombia to seek another supplier and attempted to mail cocaine from Colombia to Waverly. Anglemyer and three co-defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2024. The defendant pleaded guilty in April 2025 to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and anabolic steroids. Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Joseph O. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Detroit; and Lesley Allison, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Pittsburgh Division; announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Court Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Pakiz and Damoun Delaviz are representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Colby CPA sentenced to prison for defrauding clients

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas accountant was sentenced to 48 months in prison for defrauding clients of his accounting firm, who were also his relatives, of more than $400,000. According to court documents, Quintin Flanagin, 45, of Colby pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, one count of bank fraud, one count of false statements, and one count of money laundering. As a certified public accountant (CPA), Flanagin used his status as a signatory on his clients’ business account and trust account to make unauthorized transactions. Between December 2021 and August 2022, he wrote checks and initiated wire transfers totaling $409,710 to Middle Finger Ranch, a fictitious name that Flanagin connected to his personal bank account. He wrote false verbiage in the memo lines indicating the transactions to be payments for farm operations. Flanagin then used the stolen money to help pay for the construction on his new home. In October 2022, after his victims noticed discrepancies and confronted him, Flanagin took several actions to conceal his crimes including removing Middle Finger Ranch from his personal account. Federal investigators later found a note Flanagin wrote stating that prosecutors couldn’t prove who input the check for processing and that he could likely feign innocence and say his company wasn’t monitoring the account. “The name of Mr. Flanagin’s fictitious ranch speaks for itself. After stabbing his family in the back, Flanagin lied to their faces. When the victims directly questioned him about accounting inconsistencies, he fabricated convoluted flowcharts and blamed third parties for the fraudulent checks,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “In his hubris, Flanagin thought he could outsmart federal investigators and forensic accountants. He was wrong. My office will continue to use the full force of the federal government to prosecute financial crimes.” “Mr. Flanagin was entrusted with a fiduciary duty to protect the financial interests of the victims in this case,” said Special Agent in Charge Stephen A. Cyrus of the FBI Kansas City Field Office. “Instead of acting with integrity and in the interest of his clients, the defendant used his position to personally benefit from the scheme. Today’s sentencing reiterates the severity of the case and the seriousness by which the FBI takes financial fraud schemes.” The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Andrusak prosecuted the case. ###


title: Day Care In Plant City Settles Claim To Improve Access To Day Care Services For Children With Disabilities

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida has reached an agreement with Autumn Leaf Academy, Inc., a day care center in Plant City, Florida that provides child care services for children ages 12 months to 12 years old, to settle allegations that it violated Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The United States Attorney’s Office opened an investigation into Autumn Leaf Academy after receiving a complaint from the parents of a child with Down syndrome, alleging that, in November 2022, Autumn Leaf Academy refused to enroll their daughter because she uses a gastronomy tube (i.e., “G-tube”) to eat. As a result of the investigation, the United States determined that Autumn Leaf Academy violated Title III of the ADA when it discriminated against the child and her parents, because of the child’s disability, by denying them the opportunity to participate in and benefit from its day care services. Specifically, Autumn Leaf Academy applied eligibility criteria that screened out the child and failed and refused to make the reasonable modifications to its policies, practices, or procedures that were necessary to afford her its services. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Autumn Leaf Academy must: adopt, maintain, and enforce a non-discrimination policy regarding the prohibition of discrimination on the basis of disability, and post such policy on its website; provide training to all personnel on all policies, practices, and procedures required under the settlement agreement, as well as the non-discrimination requirements under Title III of the ADA; designate and maintain a compliance monitor to ensure Autumn Leaf Academy complies with the terms of the settlement agreement; submit regular compliance reports to the United States; report any complaints received alleging Autumn Leaf Academy discriminated on the basis of disability to the United States; and pay the child’s family $2,000 in compensatory damages. This case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Alexandra N. Karahalios. Title III of the ADA prohibits public accommodations, including private day care centers, from discriminating against individuals on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of their goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations (“goods or services”). In general, Title III prohibits public accommodations from subjecting an individual on the basis of disability to a denial of the opportunity to participate in or benefit from its goods or services. Specifically, a public accommodation shall not impose or apply eligibility criteria that screen out or tend to screen out an individual with a disability or any class of individuals with disabilities from fully and equally enjoying any goods or services being offered. A public accommodation must make reasonable modifications in policies, practices, or procedures necessary to afford an individual with a disability the goods or services of the public accommodation. Title III also prohibits public accommodations from discriminating against an individual because of the known disability of an individual with whom the individual is known to have a relationship or association, such as the parents of a child with a disability. Individuals who believe they may have experienced discrimination may contact the Civil Rights Unit of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida by calling our Civil Rights Hotline at (813) 274-6095 or emailing us at USAFLM.Civil.Rights@usdoj.gov . To fill out our civil rights complaint form, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl/civil-rights-complaint-form . The Attorney General is authorized to investigate alleged violations of Title III of the ADA and to bring a civil action in federal court if the United States is unable to secure voluntary compliance in any case that involves a pattern or practice of discrimination or that raises issues of general public importance. Ensuring that day care centers do not discriminate against children with disabilities is an issue of general public importance. For more information on the ADA, visit www.ada.gov or call the Department of Justice’s toll-free ADA Information Line at (800) 514-0301 (Voice) or (833) 610-1264 (TTY). Accessibility specialists are available to answer questions from individuals, businesses, and state or local governments. All calls are confidential. Settlement Agreement


title: Federal Jury Finds Convicted Felon Guilty in String of Twelve Armed Business Robberies

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – On December 4, 2025, a federal jury delivered a guilty verdict in the case of a Memphis-based convicted felon, Fredrick Buford, 29 , who was charged with committing a series of armed robberies of businesses in the summer of 2022. Buford faces a mandatory statutory minimum of 75 years in federal prison. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the verdict today. According to information presented in court, Buford conducted a series of armed robberies of local businesses in Memphis, Tennessee: May 23, 2022: Dollar General, 3129 Thomas Street May 23, 2022: Family Dollar, 1688 Jackson Avenue May 29, 2022: Exxon, 4491 Poplar Avenue May 29, 2022: Mapco, 979 East Brooks Road (Buford broke into the store and threatened to shoot the store employee. However, he was not successful in obtaining money.) June 4, 2022: Dollar General, 2469 Elvis Presley Boulevard June 6, 2022: Dollar General, 1760 Winchester Road June 6, 2022: Mapco, 3333 Thomas Street June 11, 2022: Family Dollar, 2743 North Watkins Street June 11, 2022: Dollar General, 1294 Lamar Avenue June 12, 2022: Family Dollar, 3255 Hickory Hill Road June 15, 2022: Dollar General, 2939 Lamar Avenue June 16, 2022: Dollar General, 2245 Lamar Avenue U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Robberies of businesses with a firearm are especially dangerous and violent due to the high risk of death and serious bodily injury by the simple squeeze of a trigger. Business robberies also have a substantially negative impact on the local economy and interstate commerce, which victimizes the entire community. Within the short span of 25 days, this recidivist violent offender’s selfish and impulsive greed terrorized multiple victims across our city – and will rightly earn him a long sentence in a federal prison." “This guilty verdict should serve as a reminder that the FBI will not waver when it comes to protecting Tennesseans and taking dangerous criminals off the streets,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. "The FBI will continue to combat these issues through strong partnerships with federal, state, and local law enforcement via task forces and other relationships to ensure the safety of our communities." After a four-day trial, Buford was convicted on December 4, 2025 of eleven counts of robbery, one count of attempted robbery, and eleven counts of use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Sentencing is set on March 24, 2026 before United States District Judge Mark S. Norris. The FBI Nashville Field Office-Memphis Resident Agency’s Safe Streets Task Force and the Memphis Police Department investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Will Crow and Eileen Kuo prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. ### For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: Mexican national sentenced to federal prison for trafficking cocaine

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: PLANO, Texas –A Mexican national illegally living in Dallas has been sentenced to federal prison for trafficking cocaine in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Tomas Perez-Guerrero, 44, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan on December 8, 2025. According to information presented in court, Perez-Guerrero was involved in a conspiracy to traffic cocaine in the Eastern District of Texas. 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. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Johnson. ###


title: Honduras Citizen Sentenced to Prison for Fourth Illegal Reentry into the U.S., Social Security Fraud, and Identity Theft

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A Honduras citizen has been sentenced in federal court to 39 months in prison, to be followed by deportation, on his convictions of illegal reentry of a removed alien, fraudulent use of a Social Security number, and aggravated identity theft, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines imposed the sentence on Jose Mejia-Sarmiento, 67. According to information presented to the Court, Mejia-Sarmiento was found in the Western District of Pennsylvania after having been deported and removed from the United States three times prior between 1996 and 2016, including after a felony conviction on the latter occasion. Further, Mejia-Sarmiento made false statements to the Social Security Administration on four different occasions between May 2024 and February 2025 in the Western District of Pennsylvania, by possessing and using the identification of another person. Following the completion of his sentence, Mejia-Sarmiento will be immediately deported to Honduras. Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. First Assistant United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Mejia-Sarmiento. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, combat illegal immigration, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Three defendants in significant gun and drug involved cases sentenced to prison

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – Three Seattle area men were sentenced in October 2025 to significant federal prison sentences due to their convictions for drug trafficking and firearms violations, announced U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. The longest sentence, ten years, was imposed on Anthony Raymond Dodd, 36, of Seattle. Dodd was convicted of possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on July 25, 2025 following a three-day trial. At the sentencing hearing on October 27, 2025, U.S. District Judge John H. Chun noted that the offense was very serious, given the danger of fentanyl in our communities, and that it was compounded by the fact that Dodd had a gun and was on Department of Corrections community custody at the time of the offense. In Tacoma, Chief Judge David G. Estudillo sentenced a drug trafficker connected to an Aryan Family prison gang to six years in prison. Philip Boorkman was a key drug distributor in one of three related drug trafficking groups. Boorkman was indicted in March 2023 and pleaded guilty in January 2025. At the October 3, 2025, sentencing hearing Judge Estudillo said, “This is a serious offense…The amount of damage it does to the community is probably immeasurable in terms of lives lost and all of the ripple effects from people who are addicted.” In asking for a seven-year sentence, prosecutors wrote to the court, “Boorkman was a trusted member of a large distribution network responsible for distributing hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine and hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills. Based on Boorkman’s trusted role in the organization, there is no question that he understood the devastating impact these drugs were having on the community.” And finally, on October 1, 2025, U.S District Judge Tana Lin sentenced Tacoma resident Marquise Tolbert, 30, to 39 months in prison for drug trafficking and illegal firearms possession. Tolbert pleaded guilty to federal charges in March 2025. Investigators with the FBI Safe Streets task force, the DEA, and the Seattle Police Gun Violence Reduction Unit were investigating a drug trafficking organization when Tolbert and his coconspirators were heard on a wiretap discussing a shoot-out in Federal Way. From that point on, investigators worked to identify those who were possessing and using firearms as part of their criminal activity. Investigators heard Tolbert discussing his purchase of the Ruger firearm from another member of the conspiracy. On the day he bought the gun, law enforcement, surveilled Tolbert, followed him to his residence, arrested him, and secured the firearm. Prior to the federal investigation, in 2020, Tolbert was involved in a shootout at 3 rd Avenue and Pine Street in downtown Seattle. One woman was killed, and seven other bystanders were injured in the gun battle. Tolbert was acquitted in state court on murder and assault charges connected to the incident. He was convicted of illegal firearms possession. The case against Anthony Raymond Dodd was investigated by the Washington State Department of Corrections, the Seattle Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Cecelia Gregson and Rachel Yemini. The case against Philip Boorkman was investigated by the FBI with critical investigative teamwork from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Washington State Department of Corrections. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Dillon, Max Shiner, and Jehiel Baer. Marquise Tolbert was investigated by the FBI, the Seattle Police Department, and the DEA as part of their focus on getting firearms off the streets. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Stephen Hobbs and Michelle Jensen.


title: Shiprock Woman Pleads Guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock woman pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter killing her daughter. According to court documents, on October 24, 2022, Maylene John , 35, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation at the time of the offense, stabbed her 7-year-old daughter in the heart with a knife, causing her death. John was under the influence of methamphetamine at the time of the incident. John pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter. At sentencing, she faces up to 15 years in federal prison. Upon her release from prison, John will be subject to three years of supervised release. Acting 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 Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caitlin L. Dillon and Eliot Neal are prosecuting the case.


title: Louisiana man sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for drug trafficking and firearms violations

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas –A Shreveport, Louisiana man has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for drug trafficking and firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Santana Deangelo Powell, 33, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime and was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Michael J. Truncale on December 9, 2025. According to information presented in court, in February 2024, Powell was stopped for a traffic violation on his way to Houston and found in possession of a large amount of cash. Powell told law enforcement he was planning to buy a vehicle with the money. A large, concealed compartment was discovered in the trunk of the vehicle. Although the compartment was empty, it was a compartment that law enforcement suspected could be used to conceal drug shipments. Later that same night, Powell was stopped for a traffic violation in Liberty County. A search of the vehicle revealed the hidden compartment now contained a large bag filled with 20,000 methamphetamine tablets and over 100 grams of cocaine. A firearm was also found in the vehicle. 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. This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, and the Mt. Enterprise, Texas City Marshal’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Quinn and Reynaldo P. Morin. ###


title: Savannah Man Sentenced to Statutory Maximum for Possession of Ammunition Following Shooting

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

body_text: SAVANNAH, GA: On December 3, 2025, a Savannah man was sentenced to Statutory Maximum for Possession of Ammunition following a shooting. Charlie Sapp, 58, of Savannah, was sentenced to 120 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Randal Hall after being convicted at trial on the charge of Possession of Ammunition by a Prohibited Person said Margaret E. Heap, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Sapp received the maximum sentenced allowed by law. Judge Randal Hall also ordered Sapp to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term, in addition to a $1,500 fine. There is no parole in the federal system. “This prosecution should send a clear message to those that violate the law in the Southern District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney Margaret Heap. “This office will work tirelessly to ensure the community is protected from violent felons.” According to trial documents, on October 8, 2021, Sapp retrieved a loaded firearm from a vehicle, confronted an individual in an apartment complex parking lot, pointed the firearm at that individual, and then fired three shots. The individual Sapp shot died on the scene. While the weapon used in the shooting was never recovered, officers with the Savannah Police Department recovered two shell casings on the scene. Those shell casings were enough to convict Sapp in the U.S. District Court. Sapp was prohibited from possessing ammunition because of previous felony convictions in the Superior Court of Chatham County. At sentencing, Judge Hall agreed to the Government’s request to enhance Sapp’s sentence on the ammunition charge because his conduct constituted second-degree murder. Due to Sapp illegally possessing ammunition, a Savannah man lost their life. Sapp was previously tried for this conduct in November 2022 by the Chatham County District Attorney’s Office. That trial did not result in a conviction. “Every bullet represents a potential threat to public safety; we will continue to work diligently to prevent firearms from falling into the wrong hands,” said ATF Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Robert Davis. The case was being investigated by the ATF, Savannah Police Department and prosecuted for the United States by Special Assistant United States Attorney Makeia R. Jonese and Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Bondura.


title: Former Fort Carson Soldier Sentenced To 30 Years In Prison For Production Of Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that John Paul Barsch III, 31, was sentenced to 30 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release after pleading guilty to one count of production of child pornography. Barsch was a soldier in the United States Army and was stationed at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs at the time of his arrest. According to the plea agreement, on multiple occasions between November 2018 and March 2020, Barsch performed sex acts on an infant or toddler in his custody, care, or control; created videos depicting those sex acts; and distributed at least one of the videos to another person who was in the United Kingdom. Barsch’s conduct was discovered when law enforcement arrested the person who received the videos, and a search of his devices revealed conversations with Barsch. “Crimes against children are some of the most despicable in our society and this sentence demonstrates the magnitude of the crimes committed,” said United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly. “Homeland Security Investigations will not tolerate the vile and reprehensible exploitation of children, especially by those entrusted with their care. The sentencing of this individual sends a clear and unyielding message: no position of authority or service will shield predators from the full force of justice,” said HSI Denver Special Agent in Charge Steve Cagen. “Let this serve as a stark warning—there is no place in our society for such heinous acts, and we will stop at nothing to protect our children and uphold the rule of law." United States District Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney presided over the sentencing. The investigation was handled by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Hindman handled the prosecution. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc . Case Number: 24-cr-00028-CNS


title: Illegal Alien Charged with Assaulting and Impeding ICE Officers

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – An illegal alien was arrested and charged with forcibly assaulting and impeding agents of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) by allegedly ramming his vehicle into agents’ vehicles and narrowly missing an ICE agent. “Assaulting a federal officer is an attack on the rule of law itself,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “When someone allegedly drives a vehicle to threaten or endanger ICE agents, we treat it with the utmost seriousness. We have zero tolerance for conduct that puts our officers or the public at risk, and this office will take every lawful step to protect our families, officers, and communities.” “When a federal agent is attempting to make a lawful arrest, there is no excuse to respond with violence. The FBI will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to support illegal immigrant enforcement operations,” said James C. Barnacle Jr., the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina. According to allegations in the criminal complaint, Milton Ermilo Arreaga Roblero, 23, was taken into custody in Morrisville, after ICE agents attempted to stop his vehicle during an enforcement operation. Initially, Roblero allegedly came to a complete stop before he suddenly backed into one agent’s vehicle and then drove into four different ICE vehicles. The complaint further alleges that he forced one of the agents on scene to jump out of the way narrowly avoiding Roblero crashing into him. Roblero was taken into custody after he allegedly drove over the curb, through a garden bed and then collided with a civilian’s vehicle. Roblero is charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers and faces maximum penalty of twenty years in prison if convicted. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Foxx is prosecuting the case, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case. A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. 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. Related court documents and information are located 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-MJ-02535-JG.


title: Court Appoints Eric Grant to Continue to Serve as the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of California

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: Today, Chief U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley administered the oath of office to Eric Grant, swearing him in to serve as the court-appointed United States Attorney and thereby continue as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Eastern District of California. On August 11, 2025, Attorney General Pam Bondi appointed Mr. Grant as the interim U.S. Attorney for 120 days, and the judges of the Eastern District of California recently voted to re-appoint Mr. Grant pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 546(d). Mr. Grant is a veteran of the Department of Justice, having served twice in Washington, D.C.: from 1991 to 1993 as an Attorney-Adviser in the Office of Legal Counsel, and from 2017 to 2021 as a Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). During his tenure at ENRD, Mr. Grant supervised more than a hundred Department litigators advancing the interests of the United States and its agencies in both enforcement and defensive matters, both civil and criminal. “I have been honored to lead an excellent team of dedicated attorneys and other public servants in our shared mission to enhance public safety and the rule of law in the Eastern District of California. We have accomplished a great deal over the last several months, and our work continues. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues and with federal, state, local, and tribal partners to accomplish that mission,” U.S. Attorney Grant said. In addition to his service in the Department, Mr. Grant has decades of experience in private practice in Washington, D.C., and Sacramento. That experience includes arguments in the U.S. Supreme Court, the California Supreme Court, and numerous other federal and state courts. Mr. Grant served as a law clerk to Chief Justice Warren E. Burger (retired) and Associate Justice Clarence Thomas during the Supreme Court’s October 1994 Term. Earlier he served as a law clerk to Judge Edith H. Jones of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in Houston, Texas. Mr. Grant grew up in Modesto, California, and raised his family in Sacramento County. He attended the University of California, Berkeley, from which he earned a bachelor’s degree in economics (1986) and a law degree (1990). The United States Attorney serves as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Eastern District of California and is responsible for prosecuting federal criminal cases and representing the United States in civil litigation. The Eastern District encompasses 34 counties throughout the Central Valley and the Sierra, from the Oregon border in the north to the Los Angeles County line in the south. The United States Attorney’s Office has offices in Sacramento, Fresno, and Bakersfield.


title: Cape Girardeau Man Sentenced for Illegal Firearm Purchases

body_text: CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. on Tuesday sentenced a man who illegally bought guns that were later recovered during criminal investigations in Missouri and Illinois to 12 months in prison. Dayquan Long, 23, of Cape Girardeau, will be on supervised release for two years after his release from prison. Long pleaded guilty in September in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau to one count of making a false statement during a firearm purchase. He admitted buying 19 firearms from two federally licensed firearms dealers between Nov. 3, 2022, and Nov. 27, 2024. During each purchase, Long filled out a form certifying that he was the “actual transferee/buyer” of the firearm and that he was not “acquiring the firearm(s) on behalf of another person.” Long signed the form acknowledging that he was aware “that the repetitive purchase of firearms for the purpose of resale for livelihood and profit without a federal firearms license is a violation of federal law.” Firearms sold by Long were later recovered during criminal investigations in Kansas City, Sweet Springs, Springfield and Cape Girardeau, Missouri and in Overland Park, Kansas, Long’s plea agreement says. On Feb. 5, 2025, Long told a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) special agent that he sold the guns for a profit of between $100 and $200. The ATF investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Hunter is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Washington man sentenced to 11 years in prison on drug charges

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: MISSOULA – A Washington man who possessed fentanyl was sentenced today to 135 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Skyler Christian Crowder, 31, pleaded guilty in July 2025 to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. The government alleged in court documents that law enforcement officers responded to a call of a fentanyl pill found in a motel room in Missoula on October 7, 2024. The occupant, Skyler Crowder, had requested to move to a new room and the pill was located when the room was cleaned. They also reported Crowder had taken out his own trash when he switched rooms, which they thought was odd. Law enforcement located two vacuum-seal bags (one with a remnant of a blue pill) and drug paraphernalia in the outside garbage. Law enforcement reviewed surveillance and saw approximately 12 different people visited Crowder over 24 hours. Several appeared to be under the influence. The activity was consistent with individuals purchasing illegal drugs. Law enforcement contacted Crowder in his new room. After obtaining a search warrant, deputies located methamphetamine, fentanyl pills and firearms. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force and the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN . XXX


title: Former Athens-Clarke County Police Officer charged with child exploitation and bestiality-related crimes

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: GAINESVILLE, Ga. – Former Athens-Clarke County Police Officer Amber Nicole Ferguson has been indicted on charges of production and attempted production of child sexual abuse material, possession of child sexual abuse material involving a minor under the age of 12, and production of obscene material. "Sexual predators who prey upon children or sexually abuse animals for the purpose of disseminating images of the abuse face significant prison time if convicted in federal court,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “To protect the community and its most vulnerable members, my office will aggressively prosecute anyone who commits such crimes.” “The actions alleged in this indictment represent a profound betrayal of the trust and responsibility placed in law enforcement officers. Those who are sworn to protect our communities—especially our children—must be held to the highest standards, said Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama Steven N. Schrank. “Homeland Security Investigations is committed to ensuring that individuals who exploit their positions to harm the most vulnerable will be brought to justice.” “Few crimes are as vile as those committed against children. When the offender is someone who swore an oath to protect the public and uphold the law, it is an even deeper violation. We remain unwavering in our commitment to working alongside our partners to safeguard our most vulnerable and bring offenders, regardless of their title or authority, to justice,” said Chris Hosey, Director, Georgia Bureau of Investigation. According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: After a family member of the two minors reported suspicions to the Commerce Police Department, an investigation led to the discovery of child sexual abuse material on Ferguson’s phone. As the investigation continued, images involving horse and dog bestiality allegedly possessed by Ferguson were discovered as well. The indictment alleges that Ferguson produced the bestiality images and child sex abuse material. Amber Nicole Ferguson, 34, of Commerce, Ga., was arraigned on December 4, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Anna W. Howard. She was indicted by a federal grand jury on December 2, 2025. Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. If convicted of production or attempted production of child sex abuse material, Ferguson would face at least 15 years in prison. In determining the actual sentence, the Court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders. This case is being investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the Commerce Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Keen is prosecuting the case. This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Attorney General launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices around the country, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Lafourche Parish Man Guilty of Violating Federal Controlled Substances Act

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on November 18, 2025, JAMES WILLIAMS , (WILLIAMS), age 64, of Schriever, Louisiana, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Brandon Long to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, over 500 grams of cocaine, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), §§ 841(b)(1)(B), and 846. Judge Long scheduled sentencing for February 24, 2025, where WILLIAMS faces a minimum of 5 years and up to 40 years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, at least 4 years of supervised release following imprisonment, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. According to the indictment, beginning at a time unknown but continuing until at least May 4, 2024, WILLIAMS conspired with others to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, cocaine throughout the Lafourche Parish region of the Eastern District of Louisiana. The conspiracy involved obtaining narcotics from Houston, Texas and transporting the narcotics to Thibodaux, Louisiana. The conspiracy was carried out through wire and electronic communications. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at http://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . Acting U.S. Attorney Michael Simpson praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Louisiana State Police, the Thibodaux Police Department, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit. ***


title: Montgomery County man sentenced to federal prison for defrauding elderly victims of hundreds of thousands of dollars

body_text: CINCINNATI – Ronald Scott Daley, 53, of Miamisburg, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 54 months in prison for wire fraud and tax evasion related to a scheme to defraud clients, including elderly victims. According to court documents, Daley was employed by a life insurance brokerage firm in the Southern District of Ohio from 1995 through 2021 and advised several elderly clients with respect to life insurance and annuity products. From at least 2012 until 2020, Daley fraudulently convinced client victims to withdraw certain assets from the insurance brokerage firm and to deposit the funds into their own personal accounts. Daley then influenced the victims to make payments to a bank account for an entity that Daley controlled. For example, Daley defrauded three victims of more than $707,000 in total. Furthermore, the defendant failed to file and pay taxes on the fraudulent income. As part of his conviction, Daley will repay restitution in the amount of approximately $707,000 for fraud against the victims and nearly $212,000 to the IRS. Daley was indicted in December 2024 and pleaded guilty in May 2025. Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigations; announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Matthew W. McFarland. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy S. Mangan is representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Jackson Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl

component: Department of Justice

body_text: Jackson, MS – A Jackson man pleaded guilty on Wednesday, December 3rd in federal court to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement identified Roman Walker, 35, as a distributor of narcotics from Hinds County, Mississippi. Court filings reflect that Walker was distributing a “menu” of narcotics, business hours, and prices for different drugs he was selling. On or about January 24, 2023, while executing a search warrant of Walker’s residence, law enforcement discovered large quantities of narcotics including more than 11,000 fentanyl pills and fentanyl powder packaged for distribution into the metro Jackson area. Roman Walker is scheduled to be sentenced on March 3, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. United States Attorney Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi and DEA Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw made the announcement. The United States Drug Enforcement Agency is investigating the case with assistance from the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics. Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Brett Grantham is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).