title: El Paso Real Estate Accountant Sentenced to Federal Prison for Wire Fraud

body_text: EL PASO, Texas – An El Paso woman was sentenced in federal court Wednesday to 33 months in prison for wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons. According to court documents, Carol Talamantes, 61, was employed as a certified public accountant for multiple real estate businesses operating in Texas and New Mexico, from which she stole $603,738.96 between Oct. 20, 2020, and Oct. 31, 2024. Talamantes fraudulently wrote company checks to herself, electronically transferred money from company bank accounts to her personal bank accounts, and transferred funds to herself via Automatic Clearing House (ACH) transactions through the real estate businesses. Talamantes initiated more than 90 fraudulent transactions from the real estate businesses directly to herself and used the proceeds for her own personal benefit, including to pay her home mortgage and personal credit card bill. On Sept. 26, 2025, Talamantes was summoned to federal court, where she pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and was granted a $20,000 bond. She also agreed to a money judgment of $603,738.96. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip Countryman prosecuted the case. ###


title: PENSACOLA MAN SENTENCED TO FEDERAL PRISON FOR POSSESSION OF FIREARM BY A CONVICTED FELON

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

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Jerney Jabara Purifoy, 33, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced to two and a half years in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This serial felon has spent years terrorizing our communities with his criminal conduct, but President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi launched Operation Take Back America to deploy the full might of the Department of Justice to protect our citizens from violent criminals like him. This defendant will spend years in federal prison, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute others like him until our streets are safe.” Court documents reflect that law enforcement executed a search warrant at the defendant’s Pensacola residence due to animal cruelty allegations. Law enforcement located a loaded handgun in the defendant’s bedroom, as well as a loaded .22-caliber AR15-style rifle in the residence. The defendant is a multi-time convicted felon. The animal cruelty case is pending in state court. Upon his release from prison, the defendant will be supervised release for three years. The case involved a joint investigation by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, human and drug trafficking. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: REGISTERED SEX OFFENDER INDICTED FOR NEW CHILD SEX CRIMES

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – William Jared Breski, 37, of Eastpoint, Florida, was indicted by a federal grand jury charging him with one count of attempted enticement of a minor, one count of attempted transmission of obscene material to minors, and one count of penalties for registered sex offenders. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges today. Breski appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for April 20, 2026, before District Court Judge Robert L. Hinkle. If convicted, Breski faces a mandatory 10 years’ imprisonment up to life imprisonment on the attempted enticement count, up to 10 years’ imprisonment on the attempted transmission of obscene material count, and 10 years’ imprisonment consecutive to any other sentence imposed on the penalties for registered sex offender count. The case was investigated by the Leon County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov . The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: PENSACOLA MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO DRUG DISTRIBUTION AND ILLEGAL WEAPONS CHARGES

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Damian Elliott Pressley, 38, of Pensacola, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to three counts of distribution or more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “For too long, dangerous criminals like this defendant have flooded our streets with deadly drugs and violence. Thanks to President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi launching Operation Take Back America , we are deploying the full might of the Department of Justice to identify, target, and eliminate the criminal threats plaguing our communities. We will continue to deliver successful prosecutions like this one until our streets are safe and drug-free.” Court documents reflect that Pressley distributed 67 grams of methamphetamine on one occasion in October 2024, and 109 grams of methamphetamine and 124 grams of methamphetamine on two separate occasions in November 2024. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Pressley’s residence on Bobe Street in Pensacola in December 2024. Agents located a loaded firearm, over 200 grams of marijuana, over 90 grams of cocaine, and $17,580 in United States currency. Pressley is a multi-time convicted felon Based on prior convictions, Pressley faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years and a maximum of life imprisonment. The case involved an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton. Sentencing for Pressley is scheduled for May 7, 2026, at 1:00pm, at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida before United States District T. Kent Wetherell, II. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, human and drug trafficking. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: BELL MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO MAKING NUMEROUS THREATS TO KILL NEWSPAPER REPORTER, MUSLIMS, AND POLITICIANS

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Peter Daniel Ring, 31, of Bell, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to sending multiple threatening interstate communications to kill or cause physical injuries. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “My office takes seriously any threat of violence, and we have zero-tolerance for criminal threats directed toward others because of their religious or political affiliation.” Court documents reveal that in June 2025 the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) received a complaint from the Washington Post newspaper that it had received a threat to kill one of its reporters. The defendant was identified as the source of the threat, and when contacted by the FBI he said he would not make any more threats. However, two months later, the FBI received a tip that the defendant was posting religiously and politically motivated threats of violence against Muslim people, members of the media, and prominent politicians. Between May and September 2025, the defendant made threats to kill or cause physical injury to at least fourteen victims. Ring faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment upon sentencing, which is scheduled for April 28, 2026, at 4:00 pm, at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor. The case involved an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christie S. Utt. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, human and drug trafficking. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Indictment Unsealed when Tulsan Arrested for First Degree Felony Murder

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – Today, Jamalo Keon Bruner, Jr., 25, of Tulsa and a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, was arrested after being federally indicted for First Degree Felony Murder in Indian Country. The unsealed indictment alleges that in October 2019, Bruner attempted to rob or burglarize an individual. While doing so, 22-year-old Benjamin Montgomery was killed. Since 2019, the Tulsa Police Department has worked diligently investigating the case. Court records show that two additional non-Indian defendants are charged in State Court for first-degree felony murder of Mr. Montgomery. Following the McGirt decision and Bruner’s tribal status, the FBI is working with the Tulsa Police Department on the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric O. Johnston and Tyson McCoy are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Illegal Alien Sentenced to 45 years for Child Exploitation of 12-Year-Old Boy

body_text: An illegal alien was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison for child exploitation involving a 12-year- old boy, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould. Julio Chavez, a citizen and national of El Salvador who was in the United States illegally, was convicted of one count of production of child sex abuse material and one count of receipt of child sex abuse material in August 2025. On February 11, 2026, United States District Judge Brantley Starr sentenced Chavez to 540 months in federal prison. “The defendant exploited a young boy’s innocence and vulnerability,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “I am glad the district court judge sentenced the defendant to over 40 years in federal prison for his heinous crimes. We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that the most vulnerable and innocent in our North Texas communities are protected from being exploited by sexual predators.” “The significant sentence imposed on the defendant sends a clear message that crimes against children will not be tolerated. The FBI will continue to work to protect the children in our communities and hold child predators accountable,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. During the sentencing hearing, court records detailed how Chavez groomed his 12-year-old victim, ultimately convincing the child to send a sexually explicit video to Chavez. Chavez also possessed hundreds of images and videos of child sexual abuse material on his cellular telephone. After Chavez serves his sentence, he faces the possibility of deportation and exclusion from the country. FBI Dallas and the Irving Police Department handled the investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Marissa Aulbaugh. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative, which was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc . For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”


title: Illegal Alien with Multiple Violent Felony Convictions Sentenced to 57 Months in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Texas, Northern

body_text: An illegal alien from Mexico, twice convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould. Pedro Garcia Lopez, 45, was indicted in June 2025 and pled guilty in September 2025 to illegally reentering the United States after he was last deported by immigration authorities in 2008. He was sentenced on Monday, February 2, 2026, to 57 months in federal prison by United States District Judge Sam Lindsay. Evidence presented at sentencing revealed that Garia Lopez’s criminal history dates back to 2008, when he was convicted of burglary of a habitation. Subsequently, he committed two violent attacks resulting in state convictions for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in 2018 and 2025, for which he received sentences of 3 years’ imprisonment. U.S. District Judge Lindsay ordered Garcia Lopez’s state and federal sentences to run consecutively. Homeland Security Investigations conducted the Investigation. Special Assistant United States Attorney Marbel Leonel Munoz prosecuted the case.


title: Illegal Alien with 17 Prior Removals and Aggravated Sexual Assault Conviction Sentenced to 90 Months in Federal Prison

body_text: An illegal alien from Mexico, removed from the United States 17 times and convicted of aggravated sexual assault, was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould. Cesar Carapia-Hernandez, 42, was indicted in July 2024 and pled guilty in September 2025 to illegally reentering the United States after he was last deported by immigration authorities in 2022. He was sentenced on Thursday, February 5, 2026, to 90 months in federal prison by United States Senior District Judge Jane Boyle. Evidence presented at sentencing highlighted Carapia-Hernandez’s extensive immigration and criminal history. Carapia-Hernandez illegally entered the United States approximately 17 times, was granted voluntary return to Mexico on 11 occasions, and was formally removed six times. He was federally prosecuted three times for illegal entry into the United States and three times for illegal reentry into the United States. According to the information presented in court,in 2024, Carapia-Hernandez was convicted of aggravated sexual assault after he forcibly entered a victim’s home, assaulted her at knifepoint, and threatened to return and kill her and her child if she alerted law enforcement. He was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment for that offense. U.S. Senior District Judge Boyle ordered Carapia-Hernandez’s state and federal sentences to run consecutively. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted the investigation. Special Assistant United States Attorneys Shelby Davitt and Marbel Leonel Munoz prosecuted the case.


title: Plainview Man Sentenced to 50 Years for Sexual Exploitation of 10-Year-Old Child

body_text: A man who sexually abused a 10-year-old child in the presence of the child’s younger sister was sentenced to 50 years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould. Leandro Rodriquez, Jr., 44, of Plainview, Texas, was indicted in May 2025. He pled guilty in October 2025 to enticement of a minor and was sentenced today by United States District Judge James Wesley Hendrix. According to court documents, in March 2025, the legal guardian of the victim, “Jane Doe,” made a report of suspected sexual abuse involving Rodriquez, the boyfriend of Doe’s biological mother. Doe and her younger sister had recently been allowed to stay overnight with their mother and Rodriquez at a residence in Plainview. Doe’s guardian discovered messages on Doe’s phone instructing her where to meet once Doe’s guardian left for work. Doe’s guardian questioned Doe about the messages, and Doe told her guardian that the messages were from Rodriquez. Doe was later interviewed by law enforcement and disclosed that Rodriquez had sex with her when Doe and her sister had stayed with their mother. Doe stated that her little sister was present during the abuse. Doe also disclosed that, following the abuse, Rodriquez asked Doe to send him a video of Doe engaging in a sexual act, “‘cause he taught me how.” Doe’s younger sister was also interviewed by law enforcement. Doe’s sister confirmed that she witnessed Rodriquez having sex with Doe while their mother was away from the residence. Law enforcement seized Rodriquez’s cell phone and obtained a search warrant. A search of the phone revealed several sexually explicit images of Doe along with messages from Rodriquez instructing Doe to leave her residence and meet up with him. Law enforcement also found a video of Rodriquez and Doe cuddling while Doe told the camera that they are “happily married.” The Plainview Police Department investigated the case with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office – Lubbock Resident Agency and the Department of Homeland Security. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Rancourt prosecuted the case. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative, which was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc . For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”


title: Two Houston Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Indianapolis Area ATM Robberies

body_text: INDIANAPOLIS- R’Vonte Berryman, 28, and Cregarius Jackson, 37, both of Houston, Texas, have been sentenced to seven and five and a half years in federal prison, respectively, for their roles in two violent ATM robberies in Indianapolis. Both men pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Interference with Commerce by Robbery; Bank Robbery; and Aiding and Abetting. Additionally, both men were ordered to pay $407,339 in restitution. According to court documents, Berryman and Jackson traveled from Houston to Indianapolis in 2022 to participate in a series of ATM robberies. In the early morning hours of June 9, 2022, at approximately 3:41 a.m., Jackson jammed a freestanding ATM at the PNC Bank located at 21 West 38th Street, causing it to malfunction and prompting a technician to respond. When the technician arrived, Berryman and another accomplice forced him to open the machine and hand over $107,339 in cash. Two months later, on August 9, 2022, the pair used the same method to target a Bank of America ATM at 8551 River Road in Indianapolis. After disabling the machine and waiting for a technician to arrive, they again conspired to force the employee to surrender $300,000 in cash. “These defendants traveled hundreds of miles across the country to prey on financial services that everyday Hoosiers rely on,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “These violent schemes drive up costs, disrupt access to financial services, and put innocent people in danger. This sentence makes clear that exploiting our banking system and endangering the people who keep it running will carry serious consequences.” “These men chose to use fear and force to steal. By coercing employees to open ATMs, they put innocent workers in fear for their safety and traumatized them,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’ Malley. “The FBI will continue working with our law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and hold accountable those who threaten public safety.” The FBI investigated this case. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Sarah Evans Barker. U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jayson W. McGrath, who prosecuted this 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: Sex Offender Living in Bartlesville Sentenced for Failing to Register

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – A sex offender living in Bartlesville was sentenced today for Failing to Register as a Sex Offender, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. U.S. District Judge John F. Heil, III, sentenced Wendell Ray Short, Jr., 36, to eight months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release. Upon his release, Short will also be required to register as a sex offender. In May 2016, Short pleaded guilty to indecency with a child by contact in Texas. He was sentenced to six years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and ordered to register as a sex offender once released. Court documents show that Short registered in Texas in 2021; however, failed to report in 2023. Sometime in 2024, Short moved in with his girlfriend and her minor child in Bartlesville and failed to register in Oklahoma. Short will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The U.S. Marshal Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Augustus Forster prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC .


title: Shiprock man pleads guilty to second-degree murder

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for fatally stabbing a man during an assault on the Navajo Nation. According to court documents, on July 25, 2024, officers with the Navajo Nation Police Department responded to a fight in progress near a defunct business in Shiprock, New Mexico. Upon arrival, they found John Doe lying on the ground with wounds to his face and chest. Witnesses reported that Edison Brady , 56, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, punched and kicked Doe before walking away to retrieve a knife from his nearby bag. Brady then returned to the scene and stabbed Doe multiple times. Despite life-saving measures, Doe was pronounced dead at Northern Navajo Medical Center. Officers found a knife with apparent blood stains in Brady ’s possession. Brady pleaded guilty to second-degree murder without a plea agreement. At sentencing, Brady faces up to life in prison. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorneys Jena Ritchey and Zachary C. Jones are prosecuting this case.


title: Shiprock man sentenced to prison for assaulting two men with a knife

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for stabbing two victims after a day of heavy drinking. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents, on Sunday, October 9, 2022, Harley Etcitty , now 21, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, stabbed two men after a day of heavy drinking. He stabbed one man in the back and chest and the other man, who was sleeping on a couch, in the head. Etcitty pleaded guilty to two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon. Upon his release from prison, Etcitty will be subject to two years of supervised release. While in prison, Etcitty will have the opportunity to undergo the Bureau of Prisons’ Residential Drug Abuse Treatment Program, an intensive cognitive-behavioral therapy program specifically designed to combat substance abuse. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case.


title: Justice Department Seeks to Terminate Federal Oversight of Cleveland Police Department

component: USAO - Ohio, Northern

body_text: CLEVELAND - Today, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the City of Cleveland jointly filed a motion to terminate the 2015 police consent decree in the case of United States v. City of Cleveland, marking the parties’ recognition of more than a decade-long, successful effort to reform the Cleveland Division of Police (CDP). CDP now has resolved the DOJ’s 2014 findings about constitutional policing. CDP has implemented court-approved policies and training covering use of force, searches and seizures, misconduct investigations, community policing, and other areas — all resulting in contemporary assessments showing CDP now polices Cleveland constitutionally. “We are proud to stand by the men and women of CDP as we take this significant step to end federal oversight and return control of local law enforcement to the City of Cleveland,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We believe the City and CDP have demonstrated their commitment to constitutional policing, and it is time for Cleveland to fully utilize CDP’s resources to protect Clevelanders from crime.” “For more than a decade, the Monitoring Team’s assessments have shown the tremendous strides that CDP has made to ensure constitutional policing, thereby increasing the community’s trust,” said U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio. “The Division’s officers should be proud of what they have accomplished. As a valuable law enforcement partner, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work closely with CDP to reduce gun violence and drug trafficking, and to keep dangerous gang activity off the streets. We appreciate the dedication of these men and women in uniform and the hard work they do each day in their mission keep the people of Cleveland safe.” On March 14, 2013, the DOJ announced the initiation of an investigation into CDP under the Violent Crime and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, 42 U.S.C. § 14141 (Section 14141) focused on allegations of excessive force by CDP officers. That investigation determined that structural and systemic deficiencies and practices — including insufficient accountability, inadequate training, ineffective policies, and inadequate engagement with the community — contributed to the use of unreasonable force by CDP officers, in violation of the Constitution and Federal law. The U.S. District Court incorporated the parties’ agreed reforms into a consent decree issued on June 12, 2015. Now, the parties have asked the Court to end that consent decree while leaving in place the reformed structures to ensure ongoing constitutional policing. The Special Litigation Section of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio, Civil Division jointly handled the investigation and litigation of this matter. 688_joint_motion_instanter.pdf


title: Magee Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

component: Department of Justice

body_text: Jackson, MS – A Magee man pleaded guilty on Wednesday, February 18th in federal court to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, joint operations between the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and Federal Bureau of Investigation revealed that Santos Vidal Estrada, 34, was distributing dangerous narcotics from his rural residence in Simpson County. Following multiple operations, a federal search warrant at Estrada’s home on October 23, 2025, found large quantities of methamphetamine with purity rates of 100%. A criminal complaint was filed on October 24, 2025 and Estrada was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 5, 2025. Santos Estrada is scheduled to be sentenced on May 21, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of not less than ten years and not more than life in prison, not more than a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any period of incarceration. 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 Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff made the announcement. The FBI 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 was investigated and prosecuted by the Mississippi Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ). HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal 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: Nashville Man on State Parole for First Degree Murder Charged with Possessing a Firearm as a Felon During Violent Shooting

body_text: NASHVILLE – James Lafayette Moore, age 51, of Nashville, has been indicted by a federal grand jury for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1), announced United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee. “Our top priority is protecting our community from violent offenders who, despite records of serious violence, are back on the street committing more violence,” said U.S. Attorney Braden Boucek. “If you have a prior conviction for a violent felony and you use a gun to commit another violent crime then we will bring the full might of federal law enforcement to bear in holding you accountable.” According to court documents, on August 24, 2025, Moore shot an unarmed man four times in the face, neck, and upper body at point blank range on the balcony of My Town Extended Stay on Antioch Pike in Nashville. The shooting was captured on video surveillance cameras. Following the shooting, innocent bystanders assisted law enforcement by pointing out Moore’s direction of flight. He was found and apprehended nearby at a Twice Daily gas station on Harding Place. A K9 unit assisted officers in locating the pistol Moore had used in the shooting nearby in a shrub adjacent to the Twice Daily. On June 2, 1993, Moore was convicted of first-degree murder in the Circuit Court of Rutherford County, Tennessee, and was sentenced to life in prison. On March 14, 2024, he was granted parole and released. If convicted, Moore faces a maximum of 15 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Carlin C. Hess is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. # # # # #


title: California man sentenced to nine years in prison for trafficking victims in prostitution

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A California man was sentenced today to nine years in prison for coercion and enticement to travel in interstate for prostitution, which involved two adult women. According to court documents, in August 2023, Demarco Raushi Coney-Jones II, 31, of Merced, coerced a victim to travel from Las Vegas, Nevada, to Alexandria, Virginia, to engage in prostitution. Between Oct. 2 and Oct. 8, 2023, Coney-Jones coerced another victim to travel to Alexandria, this time from California, to engage in prostitution. Coney-Jones committed part of this offense while detained on charges stemming from his alleged involvement in the theft of jewelry valued at more than $3 million from a sex buyer of one of his trafficking victims. Despite a prior conviction for possessing an unregistered firearm, Coney-Jones possessed a stolen handgun and an AK-47 assault rifle with an obliterated serial number at the time of his arrest. The FBI Washington Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the FBI Baltimore Field Office and the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alessandra Serano and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith J. Edwards prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-176. This release was revised on February 27, 2026, to recognize the assistance of the FBI Baltimore Field Office and the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office.


title: Bergen County Accountant Admits to Defrauding Investors Through Multi-Million Dollar Ponzi Scheme and Failing to File Income Tax Returns

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Bergen County accountant and tax preparer on February 17,2026 admitted to running a Ponzi and bank fraud scheme that bilked victims out of more than $10 million dollars and a related bank fraud scheme, among other crimes, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced. Evangelos Drosos, 51, of Glen Ridge, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with three counts of wire fraud, one count of bank fraud, and one count of failure to file an individual income tax return. “For years, Evangelos Drosos abused the confidence his clients placed in him, operating a Ponzi scheme that funneled millions of their hard-earned dollars into his own lifestyle instead of legitimate investments. When investor funds ran dry, he escalated his conduct with additional fraud to keep the scheme going. This guilty plea holds him accountable and sends a clear message: those who run Ponzi schemes and exploit the faith of investors for personal gain will be identified, prosecuted, and brought to justice.” - Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello “Mr. Drosos created a complex fraud scheme that turned trusting investors into devasted victims,” stated Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan, IRS Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office. “IRS-CI will continue working with our law enforcement partners to investigate those who betray the public’s trust and hold them accountable.” According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From 2013 through June 2025, Drosos used various businesses that he controlled to run a Ponzi scheme to falsely represent to his clients and other victim investors that he would manage their money through various investment strategies. In reality, Drosos did not invest his clients’ money and, instead, co-mingled those funds with his other accounts, and used the funds either to repay other investors or pay his personal expenses, including vacations, a luxury vehicle, and real estate. In order to hide the scheme , Drosos provided his victim investors with false account statements. Drosos caused his victims to send him more than approximately $10 million, resulting in aggregate losses of more than approximately $3 million to victims. In June 2024, the Ponzi scheme fell apart, and Drosos no longer had sufficient investor deposits to repay other investors. To cover his tracks, Drosos engaged in a check-kiting scheme in which he cut checks that exceeded the funds in his bank accounts, then deposited and quickly withdrew funds from other bank accounts before the bogus checks bounced. Using this scheme, Drosos fraudulently obtained nearly $500,000 from the victim banks. Drosos also admitted that he failed to file an individual income tax return for tax year 2023. The counts of wire fraud each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross loss to the victim or gain to the defendant, whichever is greatest. The count of bank fraud carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000, or twice the gross loss to the victim or gain to the defendant, whichever is greatest. The count of failure to file a tax return carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a fine of up to $100,000. Sentencing is scheduled for June 23, 2026. Senior Counsel Lamparello credited special agents of the FBI’s Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy; IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan in Newark; Office of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), Mid Atlantic Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Carpenter; and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Christopher Nielsen, Philadelphia Division, with the investigation leading to this guilty plea. He also thanked the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Mark Musella; and the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Daniel M. Perez, for their assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert L. Toll and George L. Brandley (Unit Chief) of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Health Care Fraud & Opioids Enforcement Unit in Newark. ### Defense counsel: Maximillian Novel, Esq. drosos.information.pdf


title: Chesapeake man sentenced to 10 years in prison for attempting to receive a meth delivery

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for attempted possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents, on March 18, 2025, law enforcement intercepted a parcel containing 2,618 grams of methamphetamine addressed to a residence on Rystrom Run in Chesapeake. After intercepting the package, investigators replaced the meth with sham narcotics and conducted a controlled delivery. The package was brought into the residence by a child. Geno Cassell Smith, 64, later entered the residence and opened the package. Soon afterward, investigators entered the residence and executed a search warrant. The investigators found the sham narcotics as well as a handgun with two magazines. Smith previously was convicted of marijuana possession and distribution and assault and battery on a family member. As a previously convicted felon, Smith cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division, Virginia Beach Police Department, and Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office with the assistance of K9 “Pablo” investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda L. Cheney and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Anne Cournoyer prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-104.


title: Greece man pleads guilty to threatening FBI agent and family

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y.–U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Steven L. Ploof, 48, of Greece, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Meredith A. Vacca to threatening to assault a member of the immediate family of a Federal law enforcement officer with intent to impede with such law enforcement officer while engaged in the performance of official duties, or with intent to retaliate against such law enforcement officer on account of the performance of official duties. The charge carries a maximum penalty of six years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Assistant U.S. Attorney Everardo A. Rodriguez, who is handling the case, stated that on September 15, 2025, Ploof went to the Ogden, NY, residence of an FBI Special Agent and his family. When he arrived at the house, Ploof placed two posterboard signs on the front porch, one sign read “Corrupt FBI AGENT!” and the other sign read “I Want To (expletive) Your Kids!” Video of Ploof placing the two signs on the front porch was obtained from a residential security system. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera, the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Wood, the Ogden Police Department, under the direction of Chief Travis Gray, and the Orleans County Sherriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Christopher Bourke. Sentencing is scheduled for June 18, 2026, before Judge Vacca. # # # #


component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: Today, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the City of Cleveland jointly filed a motion to terminate the 2015 police consent decree in the case of United States v. City of Cleveland, marking the parties’ recognition of more than a decade-long, successful effort to reform the Cleveland Division of Police (CDP). CDP now has resolved the DOJ’s 2014 findings about constitutional policing. CDP has implemented court-approved policies and training covering use of force, searches and seizures, misconduct investigations, community policing, and other areas — all resulting in contemporary assessments showing CDP now polices Cleveland constitutionally. “We are proud to stand by the men and women of CDP as we take this significant step to end federal oversight and return control of local law enforcement to the City of Cleveland,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We believe the City and CDP have demonstrated their commitment to constitutional policing, and it is time for Cleveland to fully utilize CDP’s resources to protect Clevelanders from crime.” “For more than a decade, the Monitoring Team’s assessments have shown the tremendous strides that CDP has made to ensure constitutional policing, thereby increasing the community’s trust,” said U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio. “The Division’s officers should be proud of what they have accomplished. As a valuable law enforcement partner, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work closely with CDP to reduce gun violence and drug trafficking, and to keep dangerous gang activity off the streets. We appreciate the dedication of these men and women in uniform and the hard work they do each day in their mission keep the people of Cleveland safe.” On March 14, 2013, the DOJ announced the initiation of an investigation into CDP under the Violent Crime and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, 42 U.S.C. § 14141 (Section 14141) focused on allegations of excessive force by CDP officers. That investigation determined that structural and systemic deficiencies and practices — including insufficient accountability, inadequate training, ineffective policies, and inadequate engagement with the community — contributed to the use of unreasonable force by CDP officers, in violation of the Constitution and Federal law. The U.S. District Court incorporated the parties’ agreed reforms into a consent decree issued on June 12, 2015. Now, the parties have asked the Court to end that consent decree while leaving in place the reformed structures to ensure ongoing constitutional policing. The Special Litigation Section of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio, Civil Division jointly handled the investigation and litigation of this matter.


title: Seven Gang Members and Associates Charged with Federal Drug Trafficking and Firearm Crimes

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – Federal complaints were unsealed yesterday against seven members and associates of the Brockton-based Harvard Street Gang and their Randolph-based affiliates for drug and firearm charges: Lue Andrade, a/k/a “Poncho,” 31, of West Bridgewater, is charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of one or more firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; London Cohen, 36, of Randolph, is charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of one or more firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; Kelby Correia, 34, of Brockton, is charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances; Giovany Fouyolle, 31, of Randolph, is charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances; Adonis Graham, 34, of Boston, is charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances; Felipe Jonet-Branco, 31, of Brockton, is charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of one or more firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; Jose Mendes, 35, of Randolph, is charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of one or more firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and Keanu Fernandes, a/k/a “Keys,” 29, of Brockton, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, in connection with this investigation. All eight defendants are currently in federal or state custody. According to court documents, the Harvard Street Gang (HSG) has been investigated since 2019. During this time, more than 20 leaders, members and associates of HSG have been charged with state and federal drug trafficking and firearm crimes. Over 100 kilograms of drugs, including cocaine and fentanyl, and over 45 firearms, including machine guns, have been seized. According to court documents, HSG has been involved in gang violence, including shootings, murders and witness intimidation. Numerous HSG leaders, members, and associates have been convicted of drug trafficking and firearm crimes in federal court because of this investigation. At least six defendants have been sentenced to 10 years or more in federal prison, and one member who was convicted after trial was sentenced to 32 years in prison. In 2025, the investigation expanded to include HSG’s Randolph-based affiliates. According to court documents, the investigation showed that HSG and their Randolph affiliates worked cooperatively to distribute drugs, such as cocaine and fentanyl, throughout the Brockton and Randolph areas. During the investigation, numerous residences and stash houses in Boston, Randolph, Taunton, West Bridgewater and Brockton associated with HSG and their Randolph affiliates were searched. According to court records, the searches resulted in the seizure of 15 firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, over 50 pounds of marijuana, approximately three kilograms of cocaine, fentanyl and other drugs as well as approximately $38,000 in cash. A search warrant was also executed at the store “Banks & Brancos” on Crescent Street in Brockton, which was owned and operated by HSG associate Jonet-Branco. Ten firearms, over 35 pounds of marijuana (with packaging), over 200 grams of apparent psilocybin mushrooms and over $40,000 in cash were allegedly seized. Eight firearms, along with large-capacity magazines and several empty bottles of promethazine with codeine, were allegedly found inside a hidden drawer underneath the store’s front counter. The guns included a large-caliber rifle and a Glock handgun equipped with a machine gun conversion device. An additional gun was hidden inside the store’s vending machine, and another was in plain view in a storage room. The charge of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to life in prison, consecutive to the term of imprisonment for the drug trafficking crime, supervised release of up to life and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Abington, Acushnet, Ashland, Boston, Braintree, Bridgewater, Brockton, Chelsea, East Bridgewater, Medford, Quincy, Randolph, Raynham, Stoughton, Taunton and West Bridgewater Police Departments; Plymouth and Suffolk County Sheriff’s Departments; Massachusetts Department of Correction; Plymouth, Norfolk and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices; and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Cutshall and Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit are prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Felon Who Stole 100 Guns Sentenced to 100 Months in Prison

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel on Thursday sentenced a man who stole about 100 firearms to 100 months in prison. Jeremy Lorenz, 31, of St. Charles, pleaded guilty in October to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He admitted stealing the guns from a federal firearms licensee’s storage site in St. Louis County on Nov. 15, 2024. Lorenz was arrested four days later and officers found him with a pistol and a shotgun that had been reported stolen. Investigators caught him with a stolen pistol the next day. They found six stolen guns in the car he was driving and 13 more in his girlfriend’s home. In an interview with investigators, Lorenz admitted being a convicted felon and stealing the guns. He also told agents that he’d sold some of the guns, and agents have been able to recover about 75 of the stolen firearms so far. “Stealing 100 firearms is a brazen act that puts communities at immediate risk,” said Bernard “Butch” Hansen, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Kansas City Field Division. “We recovered most of the stolen firearms, but every weapon taken in this theft had the potential to fuel violent crime. Stolen guns routinely end up in the hands of people who are prohibited from possessing them. We are grateful for the successful prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the partnership from St. Louis County Police Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol that ensured justice was served. This case demonstrates that those who traffic in stolen guns will be held accountable.” The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, St. Louis County Police Department and Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nichole Frankenberg prosecuted the case.


title: Former Special Police Officer Sentenced to 12 Months in Prison for Violating Arrestee’s Rights

body_text: WASHINGTON – Brigette O. Robertson, 40, a former special police officer residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 12 months in prison in connection with violating the constitutional rights of a detained citizen by stomping on her face in June 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Robertson pleaded guilty on July 22, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Dabney L. Friedrich to a misdemeanor count of deprivation of rights under color of law. According to court documents, on June 24, 2023, Robertson was employed by Specific Protection Services, LLC., as a Special Police Officer (SPO). She was licensed in the District of Columbia to act and to carry out law enforcement actions as an SPO. That day, while in full uniform and vested with police powers, Robertson was providing security services at a McDonald’s restaurant on the 3900 block of Minnesota Avenue, NE. At about 3:30 p.m., Robertson got into a verbal altercation with a patron at the restaurant. The altercation escalated into a physical confrontation. Metropolitan Police Department officers responded to the scene. After the patron was under the control of an MPD officer, the patron remained prone on the ground. Robertson stepped over the patron and, while doing so, stomped on the patron’s face. The stomp to the face caused the patron to experience pain and bleeding. The stomp was without legal justification and in violation of the individual’s constitutional rights. Joining in U.S. Attorney in the announcement was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office. Use-of-force investigations generally The U.S. Attorney’s Office reviews police-involved use of force to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to conclude that any officers violated either federal criminal civil rights laws or District of Columbia law. To prove civil rights violations, prosecutors must typically be able to prove that the involved officers willfully used more force than was reasonably necessary. Proving “willfulness” is a heavy burden. Prosecutors must not only prove that the force used was excessive, but must also prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the officer acted with the deliberate and specific intent to do something the law forbids. The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to investigating allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officers and will continue to devote the resources necessary to ensure that all allegations of serious civil rights violations are investigated fully and completely. The FBI Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department Internal Affairs Division investigated the case. Prosecuting the case is Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Truscott for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia’s Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section. 25cr167


title: Richmond recidivist sentenced to 10 years in prison for illegally possessing a firearm

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Feb. 23, 2025, Henrico County Police observed Tajon Rasheed Baskerville, 35, rummaging through a purse, which had been taken from a nearby vehicle earlier. As an officer performed a pat-down of Baskerville, the officer felt a firearm in a holster on Baskerville’s hip. Baskerville pulled away from and struck the officer. The officer fell, at which time Baskerville drew his firearm and, in response, the officer drew his service weapon. Baskerville tossed his firearm and attempted to flee on foot. The officer recovered the firearm and Baskerville was apprehended. Investigators found items that had been taken from the purse in Baskerville’s pockets. They also found a wallet, which had been in the purse, in Baskerville’s shirt. At the time of the offense, Baskerville had previously been convicted for possession of a controlled substance (2010 and 2012), felony probation violation (2012, 2014, and twice in 2017), grand larceny (2015 and 2018), and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (2022). As a previously convicted felon, Baskerville cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division and the Henrico County Police Division investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick J. McGorman and Stephen E. Anthony prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-79.


title: Four Charged With $7 Million Pandemic Relief Fraud Scheme

body_text: BOSTON – Four individuals, including one from Massachusetts, have been charged for their alleged involvement in a multi-state scheme to obtain millions of dollars in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds for themselves and others by submitting fraudulent applications to PPP lenders. The following individuals have been indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud: Sniders Jean-Jacques, 38, of Miami; Lorne Johnson, 38, of Boston; Tanya Pierre, 28, of Miami; and Ashley Spike, 31, of Miramar, Fla. Jean-Jacques and Pierre were arrested and appeared in federal court in Miami. Johnson was arrested and appeared in federal court in Boston. Spike was arrested and appeared in federal court in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The defendants will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. According to the charging documents, Jean-Jacques, Johnson, Pierre and Spike allegedly submitted fraudulent PPP applications on behalf of borrowers and collected up to 30 percent of the loan proceeds as a fee for securing the loans. Beginning in March 2021, the defendants and others allegedly recruited borrowers who were ineligible for PPP loans, claimed the borrowers operated businesses that qualified them for loans and created fake tax forms to backstop the borrowers’ fraudulent applications. As a result, Jean-Jacques, Johnson, Pierre, Spike and others allegedly obtained approximately $7 million in PPP funds to which they and the borrowers were not entitled. The indictment also alleges that the borrowers who received PPP funds based on these fraudulent applications paid kickbacks to Jean-Jacques, Johnson, Pierre, Spike and others, commonly in an amount equal to 30 percent of the loan proceeds. Jean-Jacques and Pierre were also charged in a separate indictment with conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud related to a scheme to obtain mortgage loans and apartment leases. The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the scheme, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, Special Agent in Charge of the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General, Eastern Region; and Randy Maloney, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


title: Russian National Pleads Guilty To Making False Statements To The FBI Regarding Her Relationship To Russian Intelligence Service And Naturalization Fraud

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”), James C. Barnacle, Jr., announced today that NOMMA ZARUBINA, a Russian citizen, pled guilty to making false statements to the FBI relating to her relationship with the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (“FSB”), and to naturalization fraud for lying about her involvement in prostitution-related offenses. ZARUBINA pled guilty today before Chief U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 11, 2026. “While Nomma Zarubina was trying to cultivate relationships with American law enforcement, civil society organizations, and others, she was lying to the FBI about her ties to the Russian Federation,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Today’s plea demonstrates our commitment to protecting the integrity of the naturalization process and reinforces that those who lie to federal authorities will incur serious consequences.” “After years of lies, Nomma Zarubina finally confessed to her repeated denial to FBI special agents of her contacts and relationship with Russian intelligence services, as well as to her failure to disclose her involvement in an interstate prostitution network in an effort to secure U.S. citizenship,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “Zarubina’s intentional concealment of her misconduct and her lies about her affiliation with Russian intelligence were an affront to law enforcement’s national security efforts. The FBI continues to defend our homeland from those who seek to impede federal investigations and deceive U.S. authorities.” As alleged in public court filings, statements at public court proceedings, and the charging documents in the case: The FSB is Russia’s principal security agency and is the successor agency to the Soviet Union’s Committee for State Security, otherwise known as the KGB. The FSB is believed to engage in, among other things, intelligence gathering and other covert operations abroad, including in the United States. The FSB and particular FSB officers have been sanctioned in the United States by both the U.S. Department of the Treasury and U.S. Department of State. ZARUBINA began meeting with the FBI in or around October 2020 in connection with the FBI’s ongoing investigation into Elena Branson, a Russian national who had a close relationship with ZARUBINA and who was later charged in March 2022 for acting as an unregistered foreign agent. During an April 2021 meeting with the FBI, ZARUBINA told interviewing agents, in substance and in part, that she had recently traveled to Russia but did not have any contact with Russian intelligence services. Then, in September 2023, ZARUBINA told the FBI, in substance and in part, that she had been interviewed once by the FSB on her way back to Russia from the United States, but that she had not been interviewed by the FSB or Russian intelligence services on any other occasions. ZARUBINA’s statements to the FBI in 2021 and 2023 about her contacts with Russian intelligence services, specifically the FSB, were false. Indeed, in June and July 2024, ZARUBINA admitted to the FBI that she had previously lied to federal law enforcement officers about her relationship with the FSB, stating, in substance and in part, that: in or around December 2020, while in Russia, ZARUBINA met with an officer whom she understood was from the FSB, agreed to help the FSB with “network marketing,” and was given the FSB code name “Alyssa”; between in or about December 2020 and in or about June 2022, ZARUBINA met with the FSB officer several times and communicated with the FSB officer on numerous occasions using encrypted messaging applications; and the FSB officer instructed ZARUBINA to share contact information of journalists in the United States, to attend the 2021 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, and to look into a particular individual in the United States, which ZARUBINA agreed to do. In addition, between at least 2018 and 2024, while residing in the United States, ZARUBINA participated in a scheme to transport women between New York and New Jersey to engage in prostitution at a massage parlor business in East Brunswick, New Jersey. Notwithstanding her involvement in that conduct, in July 2022, ZARUBINA falsely stated in response to a question in her application for naturalization in the United States that she had never “procured anyone for prostitution.” Finally, after being indicted and while on bail in the instant case, ZARUBINA sought to unlawfully influence a witness by sending numerous unsolicited and harassing messages to one of the FBI agents involved in her case. ZARUBINA’s obstructive conduct continued for several months, including after being admonished by the Court to stop contacting the agent, and resulted in the revocation of her bail. * * * ZARUBINA, 35, of Brooklyn, New York, pled guilty to one count of making false statements to the FBI, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and one count of naturalization fraud, 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 and the Counterintelligence Division of its New York Field Office, and also thanked the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, for its assistance. This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah L. Kushner, David J. Robles, and Henry L. Ross are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Five Individuals Charged with Multi-Million Dollar Mortgage and Apartment Fraud Scheme

body_text: BOSTON – Five individuals have been charged for their alleged involvement in a scheme to obtain millions of dollars of mortgage loans and dozens of luxury apartment leases by submitting fraudulent applications and forged financial records. The following individuals have been indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud: Sniders Jean-Jacques, 38, of Miami; German Olivo, 41, of Weston, Fla.; Jim Kelly Michel, 50, of Delray Beach, Fla.; Tanya Pierre, 28, of Miami; and Rosalie Clement-Jackson, 55, of Sunrise, Fla. Jean-Jacques and Pierre were arrested and appeared in federal court in Miami. Olivo, Michel and Clement-Jackson were also arrested and appeared in federal court in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The defendants will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. According to the charging documents, Jean-Jacques operated a purported tax preparation and credit repair business with offices in Boston and Miami. For Jean-Jacques’s clients with poor credit who needed a mortgage loan or apartment rental (“Fraudulent Applicants”) the defendants allegedly conspired to prepare fake paystubs and forged bank statements. They allegedly obtained so-called “tradelines,” in which the Fraudulent Applicants were added to the credit accounts of individuals with strong credit histories, in order to fraudulently boost the Fraudulent Applicants’ credit scores. Additionally, it is alleged that they used other people’s identities to hide the Fraudulent Applicants’ savings and credit history from mortgage lenders and landlords. Kelly Michel allegedly provided the tradelines and victim Social Security numbers for the Fraudulent Applicants to use. Olivo allegedly altered the Fraudulent Applicants’ bank statements to show significant balances and deposits corresponding to fake paystubs Jean-Jacques allegedly sent him, all to suggest the Fraudulent Applicants’ ability to pay a lender or landlord. It is further alleged that Pierre worked as Jean-Jacques’s assistant and allowed Jean-Jacques to use her identity to rent apartments in Miami on behalf of Fraudulent Applicants in order to hide the true tenants’ identities from landlords. Clement-Jackson allegedly worked as a mortgage broker and directed Fraudulent Applicants to Jean-Jacques for fake paystubs and forged bank statements. It is alleged that, between in or about May 2018 and in or about June 2025, the defendants and others applied for more than $6.7 million and obtained more than $3.7 million, in mortgage loans from lenders and applied for and obtained dozens of apartment rentals for Fraudulent Applicants. Jean-Jacques and Pierre were also charged in a separate indictment with conspiracy to commit wire fraud related to a scheme to obtain loans under the Paycheck Protection Program. The charge of wire and bank fraud conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million or twice the gross gain or loss from the scheme, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, Special Agent in Charge of the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, Eastern Region; and Randy Maloney, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General and the Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


title: Tucson Airman and his Spouse Indicted for Defrauding the Department of War of Millions

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. –A federal grand jury has returned an indictment, charging a Tucson couple with a years long scheme to defraud the U.S. Department of War of millions of dollars, while using the illicit proceeds to curate and maintain a luxurious lifestyle, announced U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. On Feb. 11, 2026, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned a 12-count indictment against U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Richard Stefon Ramroop, 35, and his spouse, Manuel George Madrid, 32, both of Tucson, for Conspiracy to Commit Theft of Government Property, Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Wire Fraud, and Money Laundering. “The defendants allegedly stole millions in taxpayer dollars from the U.S. Department of War to bankroll a lavish lifestyle, diverting critical resources away from their intended purpose,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “Every dollar taken through fraud is a dollar denied to the mission it was meant to support. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our federal and local law enforcement partners will hold accountable any individual who profits illegally at the expense of the American people.” “Military servicemembers hold a unique position in our society, where they are entrusted with large amounts of taxpayer dollars to ensure the defense of our nation,” said IRS-CI Phoenix Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Jarom Gregory. “When a servicemember abuses their position for personal gain, it erodes trust in the tax system and harms the very citizens they have sworn an oath to protect. IRS Criminal Investigation will continue to investigate allegations of theft of taxpayer funds and government property, ensuring the integrity of our nation’s tax system.” “This indictment reflects the outcome of a coordinated effort between AFOSI and our federal counterparts,” said Special Agent Richard Kautz, AFOSI Detachment 217 Commander. “Fraud of this level is not just a financial crime, it undermines public trust, diverts resources, and threatens the integrity of our force. Every dollar lost to fraud is a dollar taken away from the security of our nation.” The indictment alleges that from January 2022 through on or about December 2025, Staff Sgt. Ramroop utilized his position in the pharmacy at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base to defraud the U.S. government by purchasing thousands of medical devices using taxpayer funds, and thereafter, stealing and reselling those devices with Madrid for their own personal gain. According to court records from 2022 through 2025, bank accounts controlled by Ramroop and Madrid received over $11 million in fraud proceeds through wire transfers, Automated Clearing House (ACH) deposits, and other credits from companies engaged in the resale of medical test strips and devices. Meanwhile, the orders of these diverted medical devices cost the U.S. Department of War over $3 million. The indictment also alleges that Ramroop and Madrid used the fraud proceeds to purchase luxury vehicles and real estate. Further, these purchases were allegedly made directly from the personal bank accounts of Ramroop and Madrid, the same bank accounts that had received fraud proceeds from the medical device sales. For example, the proceeds were allegedly used to purchase, among other items, a million-dollar home in Tucson in February 2024, a new 2024 Porsche Cayenne Sport Utility Vehicle for $141,443.34 and a new BMW i7 Sport Utility Vehicle for $195,397.59. According to the indictment, the vehicles, and others, were seized by law enforcement during the execution of a search warrant on Jan. 15, 2026. A conviction for Conspiracy to Commit Theft of Government Property carries a maximum penalty of up to 5 years imprisonment. Each conviction for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Wire Fraud carries a maximum penalty of up to 20 years imprisonment. Each conviction for Money Laundering carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years imprisonment. U.S. Attorney Courchaine commended the investigatory efforts of IRS–Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) and members of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) to include Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), the Counter Narcotics Alliance (CAN), and the Marana, Mesa, and Tucson Police Departments. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the 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. (Photo Credit: Internal Revenue Service Office of Criminal Investigation) (Photo Credit: Internal Revenue Service Office of Criminal Investigation) CASE NUMBER: 4:26-cr-00601-AMM-JEM RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-032_Ramroop et al. # # # 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: Provincetown Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing and Distributing Child Pornography

body_text: BOSTON – A Provincetown man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to child pornography offenses. The defendant possessed several thousand image and video files containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Laurence Pagnoni, 65, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for May 12, 2026. Pagnoni was arrested and charged in April 2024 . An individual arrested in a child exploitation sting reported to law enforcement that, in March of 2023, Pagnoni distributed CSAM to him via the online cloud storage platform Mega. It was determined that Pagnoni had sent thousands of CSAM files to this individual. During a search of Pagnoni’s home in Provincetown in May of 2023 a number of items, including Pagnoni’s cellphone, were seized. During a subsequent search of Pagnoni’s cellphone, several thousand image files and video files containing CSAM, including at least 51 known series of CSAM as identified by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, were discovered. Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274. The charge of distribution of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Honduran man sentenced for illegal reentry

component: USAO - Montana

body_text: GREAT FALLS – A man from Honduras who was in the United States illegally was sentenced on Tuesday, February 17, to time served, 76 days, and remanded to the custody of the U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Wilson Edis Rodriguez-Serrano, 39, pleaded guilty in January 2026 to one count of illegal reentry. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The government alleged in court documents that on the morning of December 4, 2025, Border Patrol agents were alerted to a construction-type truck at a gas station in Havre that was suspected of being operated by an individual unlawfully present in the United States. The truck’s driver was outside pumping gas while three other men were inside the truck. Agents initiated a consensual encounter at the gas pump, which evolved into a detailed immigration inspection. The defendant, Wilson Edris Rodriguez-Serrano, was identified as one of the passengers in the truck and determined to be a citizen of Honduras. Law enforcement determined all four men were in the United States illegally, and they were transported to the Havre Border Patrol Station for further processing. At the Station, Rodriguez-Serrano was advised of his Warning as to Rights. He acknowledged his rights and was willing to speak without a lawyer present. He admitted he crossed the international boundary into the United States from Mexico near Eagle Pass, Texas. He also acknowledged he had previously entered the United States unlawfully and been ordered to return to Honduras. In fact, on November 21, 2010, Rodriguez-Serrano requested and was granted a Voluntary Return to Honduras, and on October 28, 2019, a final order of removal was issued to him. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. U.S. Border Patrol 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. XXX


title: Box Elder man sentenced to over 4 years in prison for assault on Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation

body_text: GREAT FALLS – A Box Elder man who impaled an individual’s eye with a cane on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation was sentenced yesterday to 51 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Mario Patacsil, Jr., 57, pleaded guilty in October 2025 to one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided. The government alleged in court documents that On July 22, 2024, law enforcement officers were dispatched to a house after a 911 call reporting that the defendant, Mario Patacsil, Jr., had shot John Doe in the arm. When officers arrived, Doe stated that he had not been shot, but Patacsil had beaten him with a wooden cane and stuck him in the eye. Officers could see Doe’s right eye was swollen and had a circular wound around it. The wound appeared consistent with being prodded with the bottom of a cane. Doe also had bruising on his forearm. The officers arrested Patacsil and found a wooden cane in his car. The FBI interviewed both Doe and Patacsil. Both described an argument that resulted in Patacsil, Jr. “poking” Doe with his cane before he fled the scene. Doe was seen at Benefis Hospital in Great Falls. He was admitted with a ruptured orbital globe with no vision or light perception in his right eye and underwent surgery. In August, Doe went out of state for additional surgery in an attempt to save his eye. There he underwent a vitrectomy to remove the fluid within his eye, a lensectomy to remove the lens of his eye, and a retinectomy to remove the retina. Doe permanently lost vision in his right eye. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and Chippewa Cree Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Former Coal Company Executive Convicted in  International Bribery and Money Laundering Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A federal jury convicted a former vice president of Corsa Coal Corporation (Corsa) for his role in a multi-year scheme to bribe Egyptian government officials in connection with nearly $140 million in coal supply contracts. “Charles Hunter Hobson won business for his company by paying bribes — and he even took a cut for himself,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Businessmen and companies that pay bribes to foreign government officials to win contracts undermine the rule of law and distort competition, which hurts American business interests worldwide. The Criminal Division will continue its commitment to vindicating our national interests by combatting foreign corruption in violation of U.S. law.” “Bribing officials of foreign governments to obtain business, and then laundering that money, is illegal, corrupts the global marketplace, and disadvantages law-abiding U.S. companies,” said U.S. Attorney Troy Rivetti for the Western District of Pennsylvania. “Along with our law enforcement colleagues at the FBI and other agencies, we will continue to investigate and bring to justice defendants such as Charles Hobson who seek to enrich themselves while engaging in flagrant, fraudulent conduct.” “Hobson used his leadership position at Corsa to bribe Egyptian government officials and secure millions of dollars in sales contracts for the company,” said Assistant Director in Charge Darren Cox of the FBI Washington Field Office. “Through this bribery scheme, he violated American and Egyptian laws and robbed law-abiding coal companies of the chance to compete for profits. His conviction is the latest result of the FBI's work to investigate individuals who resort to corrupt practices to increase international business.” According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Charles Hunter Hobson, 50, of Knoxville, Tennessee, agreed to bribe Egyptian government officials to obtain and retain business with Al Nasr Company for Coke and Chemicals (Al Nasr), which was then a state-owned and state-controlled chemical manufacturing company in Egypt. Hobson, together with others, paid the bribes through purported sales commissions and laundered the bribes through bank accounts in the United States and the United Arab Emirates. Hobson also secretly received kickback payments as part of the scheme. The evidence at trial showed that, between 2016 and 2020, Hobson, who was then a vice president at Corsa responsible for international sales, conspired to and did pay bribes to Egyptian government officials — whom Hobson referred to as “the Team” — in order to win contracts for Corsa to sell coal products to Al Nasr. The bribes were paid through an intermediary in Egypt, who, received more than $4.8 million in purported sales commissions. In addition to using the corrupt commissions to pay bribes, the intermediary paid Hobson over $200,000 in kickbacks from the scheme. The jury convicted Hobson of one count of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), two counts of violating the FCPA, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, two counts of money laundering, and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on each of the FCPA and FCPA conspiracy counts, and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the money laundering conspiracy, money laundering and wire fraud conspiracy counts, respectively. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Frederick Cushmore Jr., another Corsa executive, previously pleaded guilty for his role in the scheme and is awaiting sentencing. The department resolved its investigation into Corsa in March 2023 through a declination and the disgorgement of profits as defined in Part I of the Criminal Division’s Corporate Enforcement and Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy. The FBI’s International Corruption Unit in Washington, D.C., and the Washington Field Office investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Natalie Kanerva and Ligia Markman of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Stockey for the Western District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case. The Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting FCPA and Foreign Extortion Prevention Act (FEPA) matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA and FEPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa .


title: Former Coal Company Executive Convicted in International Bribery and Money Laundering Scheme

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: WASHINGTON — A federal jury convicted a former vice president of Corsa Coal Corporation (Corsa) for his role in a multi-year scheme to bribe Egyptian government officials in connection with nearly $140 million in coal supply contracts. “Charles Hunter Hobson won business for his company by paying bribes — and he even took a cut for himself,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Businessmen and companies that pay bribes to foreign government officials to win contracts undermine the rule of law and distort competition, which hurts American business interests worldwide. The Criminal Division will continue its commitment to vindicating our national interests by combatting foreign corruption in violation of U.S. law.” “Bribing officials of foreign governments to obtain business, and then laundering that money, is illegal, corrupts the global marketplace, and disadvantages law-abiding U.S. companies,” said U.S. Attorney Troy Rivetti for the Western District of Pennsylvania. “Along with our law enforcement colleagues at the FBI and other agencies, we will continue to investigate and bring to justice defendants such as Charles Hobson who seek to enrich themselves while engaging in flagrant, fraudulent conduct.” "Hobson used his leadership position at Corsa to bribe Egyptian government officials and secure millions of dollars in sales contracts for the company," said Assistant Director in Charge Darren Cox of the FBI Washington Field Office. "Through this bribery scheme, he violated American and Egyptian laws and robbed law-abiding coal companies of the chance to compete for profits. His conviction is the latest result of the FBI's work to investigate individuals who resort to corrupt practices to increase international business." According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Charles Hunter Hobson, 50, of Knoxville, Tennessee, agreed to bribe Egyptian government officials to obtain and retain business with Al Nasr Company for Coke and Chemicals (Al Nasr), which was then a state-owned and state-controlled chemical manufacturing company in Egypt. Hobson, together with others, paid the bribes through purported sales commissions and laundered the bribes through bank accounts in the United States and the United Arab Emirates. Hobson also secretly received kickback payments as part of the scheme. The evidence at trial showed that, between 2016 and 2020, Hobson, who was then a vice president at Corsa responsible for international sales, conspired to and did pay bribes to Egyptian government officials — whom Hobson referred to as “the Team” — in order to win contracts for Corsa to sell coal products to Al Nasr. The bribes were paid through an intermediary in Egypt, who, received more than $4.8 million in purported sales commissions. In addition to using the corrupt commissions to pay bribes, the intermediary paid Hobson over $200,000 in kickbacks from the scheme. The jury convicted Hobson of one count of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), two counts of violating the FCPA, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, two counts of money laundering, and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on each of the FCPA and FCPA conspiracy counts, and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the money laundering conspiracy, money laundering and wire fraud conspiracy counts, respectively. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Frederick Cushmore, Jr., another Corsa executive, previously pleaded guilty for his role in the scheme and is awaiting sentencing. The department resolved its investigation into Corsa in March 2023 through a declination and the disgorgement of profits as defined in Part I of the Criminal Division’s Corporate Enforcement and Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy. The FBI’s International Corruption Unit in Washington, D.C., and the Washington Field Office investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Natalie Kanerva and Ligia Markman of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Stockey for the Western District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case. The Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting FCPA and Foreign Extortion Prevention Act (FEPA) matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA and FEPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa .