title: U.S. Attorney Announces Additional Enforcement Action as Part of National Effort to Combat Electrical Stimulation Fraud Scheme and Recover Millions

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced the filing of a complaint under the False Claims Act in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. This is the latest action in the national investigation into the scheme of improper billing using the RST-Sanexas neoGEN-series electric stimulation device. Federal healthcare programs do not reimburse for electrical nerve stimulation treatments furnished in outpatient clinics to treat pain, nor do they cover vitamin injections used in conjunction with such treatments. As detailed below, this District and others have pursued and settled various False Claims Act cases against electrical stimulation providers, recovering millions. The complaint is against Drs. Michael Glickert and Joseph Novof of St. Louis, Missouri, as well as their integrated chiropractic clinic, The Vanguard Clinic LLC, and Sanexas device distributorship, Fleur de Lis, LLC, alleging violations of the False Claims Act. As alleged in the complaint, Glickert is a chiropractor who helped develop the scheme for billing Sanexas treatment and vitamin injections to insurance and promoted that scheme nationwide. Novof is an emergency room physician who served as Medical Director for Vanguard, as well as two other Sanexas clinics, and distributed Sanexas devices nationwide. Beginning in late 2018, Glickert promoted Sanexas treatment and vitamin injections as reimbursable by Medicare and provided coding instructions. But the United States alleges that Glickert knew that billing Medicare could be considered fraudulent. And despite later admitting in a federal complaint that their billing of Sanexas treatment and vitamin injections was not covered by Medicare, Glickert continued to bill Medicare. Meanwhile, Novof falsely certified that vitamin injections were medically necessary, despite not even knowing the ingredients in those injections. “Our office continues to lead the national charge to hold alleged fraudsters accountable for improper Sanexas billing,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “We will continue working closely with our partners at CMS’s Center for Program Integrity, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Justice Department’s Civil Division, and sister U.S. Attorney’s Offices around the country to pursue any other providers who inappropriately billed for these devices and caused false claims to be submitted.” The ongoing national effort to identify and combat electrical stimulation billing fraud is a collaboration between this District, the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (“CMS”) Center for Program Integrity, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”), other federal healthcare programs, state partners, and sister U.S. Attorney’s Offices around the country. The cases in this District have been investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. They have been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric S. Wolfish and Civil Chief Gregory B. David. Prior DOJ press releases related to the Sanexas national initiative include: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edpa/pr/two-doctors-and-their-medical-practice-pay-more-181000-resolve-false-claims-act https://www.justice.gov/usao-edpa/pr/us-attorney-announces-two-additional-civil-settlements-part-national-effort-combat https://www.justice.gov/usao-edpa/pr/us-attorney-announces-additional-civil-settlement-chiropractor-and-his-practice-part https://www.justice.gov/usao-edpa/pr/rst-sanexas-inc-and-its-owners-agree-pay-15-million-resolve-allegations-they-caused The investigation and pursuit of this matter illustrate the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud, including in the healthcare technology arena. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the FCA. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477). The claims above are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Pensacola Member of Outlaws Motorcycle Club Pleads Guilty to Arson

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

body_text: Pensacola, Florida – Gregory E. Simonds Jr., 42, of Pensacola, pleaded guilty in federal court to the charge of arson by means of an explosive causing personal injury. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charge. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Targeting, prosecuting, and eliminating transnational criminal organizations, like the Outlaws Motorcycle Club, is one of the principal objectives of Operation Take Back America , which was launched by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to devote the full might of the Department of Justice toward keeping our communities safe from violent thugs like this defendant. With yet another successful prosecution under OpTBA , we are one step closer to that goal, and we will continue to aggressively these cases to deliver the safe streets our citizens deserve.” Court documents reflect that on February 15, 2025, during an altercation with a group of individuals associated with the Pagans Motorcycle Club in the parking lot of Emerald Coast Harley Davidson on Beal Parkway in Fort Walton Beach, the defendant set off an explosive that damaged the adjacent Jimmy John’s restaurant building and injured one of its employees. Although the defendant drove away from the scene, he was quickly identified and arrested by law enforcement. In his car, officers recovered four more explosive devices, two guns, narcotics and drug paraphernalia, and an Outlaws Motorcycle Club vest that the defendant had been identified wearing during the incident. During a subsequent search of his residence, federal agents seized additional explosive devices, explosive making material and equipment, and other evidence that the defendant was making and selling explosives. Simonds faces a mandatory minimum term of 7 years’ imprisonment, and up to a maximum term of 40 years’ imprisonment. The case was the result of a joint investigation by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes. Simonds’s sentencing is scheduled for June 30, 2026, at 9:00 am at the United States District Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Tallahassee Man Indicted for Child Pornography Offenses

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Tallahassee, Florida – Zachary Phillip Larson, 29, of Tallahassee, Florida, has been indicted in federal court on one count of distribution of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges. Larson appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for May 5, 2026, before Chief District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor. If convicted, Larson faces a minimum of 5 years’ imprisonment, and up to 20 years’ imprisonment, on the distribution count and receipt counts. Larson also faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment on the possession count. The case is being jointly investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Tallahassee Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen. 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 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: Owners and CEO of Wholesale Pharmaceutical Company Sentenced for Distributing More Than $92M of Black-Market HIV Drugs

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Two owners of a pharmaceutical wholesale company were sentenced Friday to a total of 38 years in prison for orchestrating a complex, nationwide drug diversion scheme that harmed vulnerable HIV-positive patients, placed countless others at risk, and corrupted the supply chain for prescription drugs in the United States. “Patrick and Charles Boyd did not just commit fraud and cost taxpayers millions of dollars, they preyed upon some of the most vulnerable members of our society: HIV patients who depend on life-saving treatments to manage their disease,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Fraud schemes like this one undermine the integrity of our supply chain for necessary prescription drugs. These defendants will rightly spend years in prison for their reprehensible conduct, which took advantage of people for illicit profit. This case is another example of how the Criminal Division, our United States Attorney partner in the Southern District of Florida, and law enforcement will pursue and seek convictions of those who defraud our systems, endanger our citizens, and seek to line their pockets with fraud proceeds.” “These defendants treated life-saving HIV medication like street contraband,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “They bought drugs off the street from black-market suppliers, shipped them in dirty boxes and discarded packaging, falsified paperwork, and pushed those medications back into the legitimate pharmaceutical supply chain. The consequences were real. HIV patients received bottles containing the wrong drugs, and at least one patient lost consciousness after ingesting medication that should never have been in that bottle. As a former military prosecutor, federal prosecutor, and trial judge, I have seen how greed can drive dangerous schemes. When criminals gamble with patient safety for profit, federal prison is the result.” “Friday’s sentence underscores the extreme danger these defendants created,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS‑OIG). “They took life‑threatening actions that showed an alarming disregard for human life in service of nothing more than a payday. Their criminal scheme endangered vulnerable patients, put entire communities at risk, and undermined the integrity of Medicare and Medicaid. HHS‑OIG will continue working with our law enforcement partners — and using every tool in our arsenal — to pursue and dismantle illegal black‑market rings that seek to corrupt the nation’s drug supply and exploit taxpayer‑funded health care programs.” According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, brothers Patrick Boyd, 47, and Charles Boyd, 43, of Easton, Maryland, founded and owned Safe Chain Solutions, a wholesale distributor of pharmaceutical medications located in Maryland. Charles Boyd was the CEO, while Patrick Boyd served as a Managing Partner who oversaw the company’s sales division. The evidence presented at trial showed that Patrick and Charles Boyd conspired with at least five black-market suppliers to purchase HIV drugs obtained through patient “buyback schemes” at steep discounts. One of their suppliers testified at trial that he purchased HIV drugs from patients on the street, removed the original prescription labels, and packaged the bottles in cardboard boxes — sometimes scavenged from trash on pick-up days — before shipping them to the defendants. On one occasion, this supplier used a diaper box he found on the street to ship the drugs. Many of these bottles were dirty, unsealed, and showed obvious signs they had previously been dispensed, such as the two depicted below: Trial evidence showed that pharmacies complained to Safe Chain Solutions about their illicit conduct. For example, pharmacies reported to Safe Chain Solutions that they received bottles with entirely different drugs in them as early as August 2020. In another documented complaint, one of their pharmacy customers sent the defendants a photo of the condition in which he received HIV drugs from them: The customer informed Patrick and Charles Boyd that these bottles of HIV drugs did not meet “safety standards . . . and may present risk for our patients” and returned the drugs. Evidence admitted at trial included an article shared between the defendants discussing these serious risks, just days before the customer complained. According to the article, “The schemes hurt individuals with HIV, cost taxpayers millions of dollars and drive up the viral load in communities, exposing others to the illness and spoiling the city and state’s mission to drive the number of new HIV diagnoses to zero.” Despite these early complaints, Patrick and Charles Boyd continued buying cheap, diverted HIV drugs from the same black-market suppliers for many months, and continued selling the drugs to pharmacies along with falsified paperwork designed to fool their customers and regulatory agencies. A patient who received a bottle of prescribed HIV medication sold to a pharmacy by the defendants testified at trial that Seroquel, an anti-psychotic drug, was actually in his bottle. He testified that he unwittingly ingested the Seroquel and lost consciousness for 24 hours. Evidence at trial established that missing even a single dose of HIV medication can increase a patient’s viral load and heighten community transmission risk in areas with high HIV infection rates. There was at least one additional documented complaint where another HIV patient unwittingly ingested a different drug that was in his bottle. The trial evidence also established the many elaborate steps Patrick and Charles Boyd took to conceal their criminal conduct from detection. They worked with the black-market suppliers behind the back of their own Director of Compliance, who testified that she repeatedly raised concerns throughout the conspiracy but was ignored. They also enlisted attorneys as part of their cover-up. One of those attorneys testified at trial, describing how the Boyd brothers concealed and misrepresented material information while seeking legal advice about pharmacy complaints and reporting obligations to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). According to the evidence, the defendants failed to report numerous incidents to the FDA involving pharmacies that had received incorrect or tampered medications. Between April 2020 and September 2021, Patrick and Charles Boyd bought and resold more than 28,000 bottles of these black-market HIV drugs. They paid more than $92.8 million for the drugs, which they sold to pharmacies for a profit. Medicare, Medicaid and commercial insurers were billed and paid for these illicit drugs. In October 2025, Patrick and Charles Boyd were convicted at trial of conspiracy to introduce misbranded drugs into interstate commerce; conspiracy to traffic in medical products with false documentation; conspiracy to commit wire fraud; two counts of introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce; and two counts of wire fraud. Patrick Boyd was sentenced to 18 years in prison. Charles Boyd was sentenced to 20 years in prison. In addition to the prison sentences, the defendants were ordered to pay $21,850,000 in forfeiture. A third defendant, Adam Brosius, previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud with the Boyds and was sentenced to 97 months in prison in connection with his role in the scheme. HHS-OIG and FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacqueline Zee DerOvanesian and Alexander Thor Pogozelski for the Southern District of Florida, with the assistance of Assistant Chief James V. Hayes of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff for the Southern District of Florida handled asset forfeiture. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of eight strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit .


title: Two Wilmington Men Charged with Federal Fentanyl and Gun Offenses

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: WILMINGTON, Del. – Two Wilmington men were arrested March 10, 2026, for unlawfully possessing guns and over 400 grams of fentanyl. According to court documents, Marcus Warren and Donavan McGriff, both 35, were the subjects of a drug investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the New Castle County Police Department (NCCPD). On Tuesday, March 10, 2026, members of the DEA, NCCPD, and the Delaware State Police Special Operations Response Team executed search warrants for Warren and McGriff, their residences in Wilmington, and McGriff’s car. Both Warren and McGriff were occupants of the car at the time of the search. The car search revealed over 400 grams of fentanyl pills. The search of Warren’s residence resulted in the recovery of approximately one kilogram of suspected fentanyl and three guns, including a privately made firearm or “ghost gun” with no serial number. The search of McGriff’s residence resulted in the recovery of an additional gun. Warren is charged with possession with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. If convicted, Warren faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. McGriff is charged with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. If convicted, McGriff faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace and DEA Philadelphia Field Division Special Agent in Charge Thomas Hodnett made the announcement. The DEA and NCCPD investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin B. Smith is prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:26-mj-00120. The charges contained in the criminal complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ###


title: Twice-Convicted Criminal Alien Pleads Guilty to Illegally Reentering the Country

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: Pensacola, Florida – Jose Francisco Santizo-Perez, also known as “Jose Mynor Castillo Lazaro,” 41, a Guatemalan national, pleaded guilty in federal court to illegal reentry by a removed alien. 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, criminal aliens have completely disregarded our nation’s borders and immigration laws, but President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi launched Operation Take Back America to repel the invasion of illegal immigration and keep our communities safe. With this successful prosecution, we are one step closer to achieving that goal, and we will continue to aggressively prosecute criminal aliens, like this defendant, who will come to realize we take the robust enforcement of our nation’s borders and laws seriously.” Court documents reflect that the defendant has been deported from the United States four times and has twice been convicted of illegal reentry by a removed alien, first in 2018 in this district, and again in 2020 in the Western District of Texas. After his most recent deportation in 2021, he illegally returned to the United States and was found in Okaloosa County, Florida, in January 2026. He now faces up to ten years in prison followed by removal from the United States. The case was investigated by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes is prosecuting the case. Santizo-Perez’s sentencing is scheduled for May 18, 2026, at 11:00 am at the United States District Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Department of Justice Reveals Seizure of $14.9 Million  from Cartel-Linked Money Laundering Operation

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – On Friday, the Department of Justice unsealed a civil case aiming to forfeit over $14.9 million seized from an international drug money laundering scheme, United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. announced. The lawsuit—originally filed in 2024—details the seizure of the funds and alleges a complex pattern of trade-based drug money laundering. Trade-based money laundering involves depositing U.S. cash drug proceeds into American bank accounts—using real or shell companies—which can then transfer the wealth to Colombia or elsewhere by delivering products or services that can be sold in local currencies. The suit alleges that the $14.9 million seized came from tracking drug money deposits into the bank accounts of companies with connections to international commerce. These include a successful Latin American musician whose accountant said the cash deposits were related to concerts in Colombia, and many import-export businesses. The investigation into this scheme continues. Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Joseph O. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration-Detroit. “Drug trafficking and money laundering go hand-in-hand,” U.S. Attorney Gorgon said. “Cartels need money to poison our American communities. We will eliminate these threats and protect our country.” “The cartel and it criminal networks are fueled by profit. Seizing their drug proceeds strikes at the core of their poisonous operations, the DEA and our partners will be relentless in pursuing these bad actors and will hold them accountable for the violence, destruction, and misery they cause. No distance will shield them,” said Special Agent in Charge Dixon. The lawsuit is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, human and drug trafficking.


title: D.C. Man Sentenced to 14 Months in Prison for Strangling Romantic Partner

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Myron Caldwell, 31, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 14 months incarceration on charges stemming from strangling his romantic partner in November 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Caldwell pleaded guilty on January 8, 2026, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to one count of strangulation. On March 16, 2026, the Honorable Judge Andrea Hertzfeld sentenced Caldwell to the 14-month prison term. “This is a case where the defendant, not only attacked his girlfriend, but terrorized her. Caldwell strangled his girlfriend, pinned her to the ground, and then held her prisoner in her own home,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Domestic violence will not be tolerated. For any woman in a violent relationship please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE." According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 20, 2025, Caldwell and the victim, his girlfriend, were involved in a verbal altercation at the latter’s home in Southeast Washington, D.C. When the dispute became physical and the victim fell onto the ground, Caldwell got on top of her and put the victim in a chokehold, applying pressure to her neck and restricting her ability to breathe. The victim retreated to her apartment bathroom once Caldwell released her, but Caldwell then followed her into the bathroom and refused to let her leave for several hours. Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Elias Feldman, who prosecuted the case. 2023 FD3 015821


title: York Man Charged With Possessing Guns As A Felon

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Matthew Bair, age 36, of Windsor, Pennsylvania, was indicted on March 4, 2026, by a federal grand jury for unlawfully possessing firearms as a previously convicted felon. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that Bair unlawfully possessed an Aero Precision rifle and a Ruger pistol on February 28, 2025, in York County. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pennsylvania State Police investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Carlo D. Marchioli is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 15 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Honors Law Enforcement Partners for Outstanding Investigative Work

body_text: CLEVELAND – Federal, state, and local law enforcement investigations that ultimately led to successful outcomes throughout 2025 were recognized at the U.S. Attorney Office’s (USAO) Law Enforcement Awards ceremony held recently. “Here in our Northern District of Ohio, we have unique relationship with our partners, and that’s not always the case in other regions,” said U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio. “It is my honor to recognize these men and women whose diligent investigations allow us to prosecute dangerous criminals to the fullest extent of the law. Criminal investigators can face roadblocks and dead ends. But because of the persistence of these professionals, and their unwavering commitment to protect and help victims, our office can ensure that justice is served.” The awards recognized outstanding criminal investigations based out of each of the four Northern District’s offices in Toledo, Cleveland, Akron, and Youngstown. These recognitions spanned a range of cases including Department of Justice (DOJ) mission critical areas such as child sexual exploitation, drug trafficking operations, ransomware, and cybercrime. Akron/Canton Region Agent of the Year: FBI Special Agent Pete Mauro The award was given for exceptional performance in several child exploitation cases that resulted in significant sentences for multiple defendants who distributed, received, produced, and possessed child pornography, thus taking dangerous predators off the street. Task Force Officer (TFO) of the Year: FBI TFO Heather Blohm Stover, of the Medway Drug Enforcement Agency The award was given to a local law enforcement officer who is a designated member of the FBI Task Force for her exceptional performance in two cases which involved child sex abuse and several cases involving illegal drug trafficking and firearms. Partnership of the Year: The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Operation Double Eagle The award was given for exceptional performance in the takedown of an Akron drug trafficking operation that resulted in 17 indictments that charged thirty defendants with drug trafficking and firearms violations. Several defendants have already been sentenced to federal prison and other cases are still pending. Cleveland Region Agent of the Year: FBI Special Agent Jeff Kassouf The award was given for exceptional performance in a multinational and extremely complex cybercrime investigation. Task Force Officer of the Year: FBI TFO Craig Payne, of the Lorain Police Department The award was given to a local law enforcement officer who is a designated member of the FBI Task Force for his exceptional performance in two drug trafficking investigations. One case resulted in criminal charges against 15 defendants of the Whitaker drug trafficking organization for possession with intent to distribute and distribution of controlled substances. The second case resulted in a sentence of 21 years in the Freddie Sanchez trial. Partnership of the Year: FBI Special Agent Milan Kosanovich and FBI Special Agent Matt Richter The award was given for exceptional performance in a cryptocurrency fraud investigation where the victim lost approximately $425,000. The investigation resulted in a (civil) forfeiture case in federal district court. In the case, the United States forfeited a total of $947,883 and the victim was able to obtain full recovery. Toledo Region Agent of the Year: FBI Special Agent Alexander Hunt The award was given for exceptional performance in a child exploitation case that resulted in criminal charges for coercion and enticement, and for receipt and distribution of child pornography. The investigation also led to the arrest of at least eight other individuals for child exploitation related offenses across Northwest Ohio. Task Force Officer of the Year: United States Secret Service (USSS) TFO Justin Craig, of the Ohio State Highway Patrol The award was given to a local law enforcement officer who is a designated member of the USSS Task Force and was given for his exceptional performance in a child exploitation case that resulted in a receipt and distribution of child pornography criminal charge that carries a mandatory minimum of five years in prison up to a maximum of 20. Partnership of the Year: Northwest Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force The award was given for exceptional performance in the investigation of a child exploitation case that resulted in the receipt and production of child pornography criminal charges and a sentence of 360 years, as well as a state prosecution for hands-on sex offenses. Youngstown Region Agent of the Year: ATF Special Agent Jason Petaccio and Task Force Officer of the Year: DEA TFO Michael Bender, of the Adult Parole Authority These two awards were given for exceptional performance in the investigation of a fatal shooting that occurred in Warren, Ohio, in August of 2025. SA Petaccio and TFO Bender’s work resulted in the apprehension of multiple suspects and criminal charges that carry up to 15 years in prison. Partnership of the Year : Homeland Security Investigations/Mahoning Valley Law Enforcement Task Force The award was given for exceptional performance in a drug investigation that resulted in criminal charges of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of a controlled substance and a sentence of 23 years. District Agency of the Year United States Marshals Service (USMS) Under the Leadership of U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott, the USMS received an award for outstanding collaboration with other law enforcement partners. The USMS leads the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force (NOVFTF), which is comprised of seven divisions that include Cleveland, Lorain, Painesville, Akron, Canton, Youngstown, Richland, and Toledo. The NOVFTF finds and arrests dangerous fugitives in the Northern District of Ohio. In 2025, NOVFTF arrested 2,709 offenders, seized 106 firearms and over 3,400 rounds of ammunition, approximately $75,000, and over 7 kilograms of narcotics. In addition to apprehending fugitives, the USMS Missing Child Unit dedicates full-time investigators to locating missing and endangered youth. A dedicated team also locates and prosecutes sex offenders who fail to register as required. Several regional agencies attended the recognition ceremony including: Akron Police Department University of Akron Police Department Adult Parole Authority The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Barberton Police Department Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) FBI – Northweast Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area-Youngstown U.S. Homeland Security Investigations Lorain Police Department Mahoning County Sheriff Office Mahoning Valley Law Enforcement Task Force Medway Drug Enforcement Agency Ohio State Highway Patrol Summit County Sheriff Office Toledo Police Department United States Marshal Service


title: Defendants indicted in multi-state firearms trafficking case

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA - Mikellen Clements, Kemith Calvin, and Laytayah Gross have been charged with firearms trafficking and conspiracy to commit firearms trafficking. Clements has also been charged with 42 counts of making false statements during firearms purchases and aiding and abetting the same. “These defendants allegedly coordinated dozens of fraudulent gun purchases in Georgia and directly or indirectly put guns in the hands of out-of-state criminals,” said U.S Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “The Department of Justice is committed to fighting violent crime across the country and will continue to aggressively pursue and prosecute the gun traffickers who facilitate it.” “This case highlights the critical partnership between federal and local law enforcement agencies. Together, we are working tirelessly to dismantle trafficking networks that threaten the safety of our neighborhoods,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Ryan Todd. According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: From at least May 2023 continuing through August 2024, the defendants allegedly conspired to straw purchase firearms in Georgia and trafficked the firearms to the Maryland/Washington, D.C. area. As part of the conspiracy, at least 68 firearms were straw purchased from federally licensed dealers in the Northern District of Georgia. At least 15 of those firearms have been recovered by police in the Maryland/D.C. area. Several of the firearms were recovered in connection with suspected drug trafficking activities, and multiple firearms are also under investigation in connection with drive-by shootings. In May 2025, one of the Micro Draco pistols allegedly straw purchased at Clements’s direction was recovered from a juvenile at a Maryland high school. The weapon was loaded with 17 rounds in the magazine at the time. On March 5, 2026 and March 10, 2026, respectively, Laytayah Gross, a/k/a Tayah, 27, and Kemith Calvin, a/k/a Black, 28, appeared in federal court and pleaded not guilty to firearms trafficking and conspiracy to commit firearms trafficking. Mikellen Clements, a/k/a Snee, 27, is currently detained in Washington, D.C. on local charges, and will be arraigned before a federal magistrate judge on a later date. Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cathelynn Tio and Matthew S. Carrico are prosecuting the case. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Former Manager of Lafayette Medical Clinic Pleads Guilty to Embezzling More Than $500k From Employer

body_text: LAFAYETTE– On March 16, 2026, Brooke Miller Duck (formerly “Brooke Miller Tauzin”), a 31-year-old resident of Midland, Texas (and former resident of Arnaudville, Louisiana), pled guilty to embezzling more than $500,000 from her medical clinic employer to make personal purchases. Duck now faces up to 20 years in federal prison for wire fraud. “Brooke Duck now faces justice after spending years betraying the trust of her employer and treating that employer’s bank accounts like her own personal slush fund,” said United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “Frauds perpetrated by people like Mrs. Duck erode the trust that our Louisiana small businesses need to perform their critical work, and our Office stands ready to prosecute those abuses.” According to court documents, Duck was employed by two medical clinics with offices in Lafayette and Baton Rouge and had access to the clinics’ credit cards and bank accounts. Between May 2020 and October 2023, Duck used the clinics’ credit cards for unauthorized, personal expenses and purchases, including a $15,000 payment for a time-share vacation property. She then used funds drawn from the clinics’ bank accounts to pay the credit card balances associated with those purchases. Over the course of her scheme, Duck caused $539,451.41 in unauthorized transactions on the clinics’ credit cards for her personal use and financial gain. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Secret Service, and the Lafayette Police Department investigated the case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Daniel Siefker, Jr., with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Denise Duhon. U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement. You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer , under Case Number 6:26-cr-00096. ### Public Affairs United States Attorney’s Office Western District of Louisiana USALAW-News@usdoj.gov www.justice.gov/usao-wdla Twitter @USAO_WDLA


title: Jury convicts Kansas City-based music artist of illegal firearm possession

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal jury convicted a Kansas man of illegally having a firearm as a convicted felon. Federal law enforcement initiated a criminal investigation after seeing photos posted on social media of him holding weapons. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Joseph R. Isaac, 28, of Kansas City, Kansas, was found guilty of one count of felon in possession of a firearm. Isaac, a rap artist known professionally as SleazyWorld Go, is not legally allowed to possess firearms following a previous conviction for armed robbery in Kent County, Michigan, in 2016. On Friday, March 13, 2026, a jury found him guilty of knowingly possessing a Romarm/Cugir 7.62x39mm pistol. Isaac is scheduled to be sentenced on June 30, 2026. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Hines are prosecuting the case. ###


title: Young Offender Sentenced to Over 10 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Carjacking

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Memphis, TN – Martavious Wilson, 20 , of Memphis, has been sentenced to federal prison for a 2024 armed carjacking. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentencing today. According to court documents, on November 9, 2024, Wilson carjacked and robbed a victim at 850 South Third Street while she was putting air in her tire. Wilson, along with another male, approached the victim and pointed a firearm at her, demanding the keys to her car. They struck the victim over the head with a firearm and drove off with her 2019 Toyota Highlander. Wilson was captured by Memphis police officers after crashing into a utility pole while fleeing from police. Wilson faced a mandatory minimum sentence for brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. On March 10, 2026, U.S. District Court Judge Mark S. Norris sentenced Wilson to 130 months' imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "This young offender not only injured and terrorized an innocent victim, but he has also senselessly wasted his own future by committing a violent carjacking. There is a heavy price to pay for a lifestyle of lawlessness, and Wilson will now pay that price with over a decade in a federal prison." The Memphis Police Department’s Safe Streets Task Force investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Jermal Blanchard prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. ### For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: Apollo Beach Businessman Charged with COVID-19 Fraud

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, FL – Caleb Walsh (36, Apollo Beach) has been charged by federal indictment with bank fraud, wire fraud, and illegal monetary transactions. If convicted on all counts, Walsh faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Walsh that the United States intends to forfeit a Mercedes Benz G-Wagon, a hotel, and cryptocurrency, which are alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to the indictment, between March 2020 and March 2021, Walsh devised a scheme to defraud multiple federally-insured financial institutions and another lender by submitting false and fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications in the names of companies that he controlled. Walsh misrepresented the number of employees, average monthly payroll costs, and falsely certified that the PPP funds would be used for permissible expenses. In furtherance of his scheme, Walsh also submitted false and fraudulent IRS tax forms showing his companies had purportedly paid millions of dollars in payroll as well as submitting altered and/or fictitious bank statements in the names of his companies. PPP loans were one of the sources of economic relief provided by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Walsh used the fraudulently obtained PPP proceeds to illegally purchase a luxury vehicle, invest in a hotel in Nebraska, purchase cryptocurrency, and purchase private jet flights to Mexico for him and his family. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. In May 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 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. This case was investigated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General, IRS Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Small Business Administration – Office of Inspector General. It will be prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by contacting the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form .


title: Uruguayan fugitive arrives in the United States to face charges of laundering proceeds of his drug-trafficking organization

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An alleged cocaine trafficker from Uruguay made an initial appearance in federal court in Alexandria today on charges relating to his alleged role in a money laundering conspiracy. As alleged in court documents, Uruguayan national Sebastian Enrique Marset Cabrera, 34, is the leader of a large-scale drug trafficking organization that distributed thousands of kilograms of cocaine, including as many as 10 tons at a time, from South America typically to Europe. The Marset drug trafficking organization allegedly traffics cocaine in Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil, Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal, and elsewhere. Marset’s close associate, Federico Ezequiel Santoro Vassallo, aka Capitan, was a Paraguay-based transnational money launderer for drug-trafficking organizations and facilitated the movement of millions of dollars of drug proceeds from various countries in Europe to South America and elsewhere. Santoro and his co-conspirators arranged for the collection of narcotics proceeds and utilized couriers and tokens to covertly deliver bulk illicit currency, typically in euros. Santoro’s co-conspirators specialized in placing the illicit currency into the global banking system. He then would direct the movement of the funds internationally, usually via bank wire transfer. Santoro typically directed that the funds be delivered in U.S. dollars and a correspondent bank in the United States would facilitate the transaction. Santoro and, allegedly, Marset threatened violence to protect their drug-trafficking and money laundering activities. In January 2021, Marset allegedly was owed more than €17 million from the proceeds of a single shipment of cocaine. Santoro arranged the collection and laundering of at least €5 million of those funds, the vast majority of which was laundered using the U.S. banking system. Santoro pled guilty on May 21, 2025, and was sentenced on July 23, 2025, to 15 years in prison. If convicted, Marset faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony T. Aminoff and Catherine Rosenberg are prosecuting the case. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit investigated this case. Significant assistance was provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, U.S. Embassy in Bolivia, U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) and Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), Bolivian Minister of Government, Bolivian National Police National Intelligence Unit, DEA New York Task Force, DEA Airwing, DEA Country Offices in South America including Lima, Bogota, Buenos Aires, Asunción, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, and Europol. In coordination with the Department of Justice, the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs announced in May 2025 a reward of up to $2 million under the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program (TOCRP) for information leading to Marset’s arrest and/or conviction. This was in addition to a $100,000 reward in Bolivia announced in 2023. 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. 1:23-cr-143. An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Attachments marset_superseding_indictment_189113257979.pdf


title: Guatemalan National Sentenced to four Months in Prison for Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Guatemalan national has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation. Jasson Humberto Marroquin Moro, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun to time served (approximately four months in prison) and is now subject to deportation proceedings. Earlier in the hearing the defendant pleaded guilty to unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Marroquin Moro was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2025 . On or about May 6, 2025, Marroquin Moro was found in the United States after having been deported to Guatemala on or about June 3, 2014. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Acting Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Maynard and Julissa Walsh of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Maryland Man Sentenced to Over Three Years in Prison for Mailing Threatening Communications to Jewish Institutions, Civil Rights Violations

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Clift Seferlis, 55, of Garrett Park, Maryland, was sentenced this afternoon by United States District Judge Mark A. Kearney to 37 months in prison, three years of supervised release, $40,000 fine, and a $2,200 special assessment for mailing threatening communications targeting Jewish institutions and organizations. In November of last year, Seferlis pleaded guilty to 17 counts of mailing threatening communications and eight counts of obstructing the free exercise of religious beliefs, arising from threats sent to Jewish organizations and entities. As detailed in court filings, from at least March 2024 through at least June 2025, the defendant used the United States mail to send at least 40 letters and two postcards to more than 25 Jewish institutions and organizations, including synagogues, Jewish museums, community centers, schools, nonprofit organizations, and a Jewish delicatessen, located in multiple jurisdictions. Many of these written communications threatened to destroy physical buildings and/or injure individuals. The threatening communications were intended to intimidate recipients and interfere with congregants and others in the enjoyment of their free exercise of religious beliefs. “Threats directed at religious institutions are attacks not just on those communities but on the freedoms guaranteed to all Americans,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “Individuals who attempt to intimidate or terrorize others because of their faith will face the full force of federal law.” “This case serves as a stark reminder that members of our community can still face threats because of their beliefs,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office. “No one should have to live in fear because of who they are or what they believe. The FBI and our partners remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting every member of our community and holding those who seek to intimidate or harm others fully accountable.” This case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia, with assistance from FBI Baltimore, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Montgomery County (Md.) Police Department, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland’s Greenbelt office. The Anti-Defamation League, Secure Community Network, and Delaware Valley Intelligence Center also provided assistance with this case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Dubnoff for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Trial Attorney Taylor Payne of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.


title: Detroit Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Federal Drug Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Timothy D. Luckett, also known as “Fetty” and “Jack Boi,” 33, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to 14 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and a quantity of fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 21, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Rotary Road residence in Huntington where they encountered Luckett. On a kitchen counter in the residence, officers found approximately 454 grams of methamphetamine on one digital scale, approximately 2.5 grams of fentanyl on a second digital scale, and approximately 50 grams of fentanyl in a backpack. Under a dresser, officers found a loaded Ruger .45-caliber pistol, a loaded Sig Sauer Mosquito .22-caliber pistol, a Feather Industries .22-caliber rifle, and ammunition. Officers also found $7,278 in the residence and $380 on Luckett’s person during the search. As part of his guilty plea, Luckett admitted that he used the residence to store and conduct distributions of controlled substances, and that the seized cash was proceeds from his distribution of methamphetamine. Luckett also admitted to additional criminal conduct. On November 8, 2023, Luckett sold approximately 7.6 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant in Huntington in exchange for $800. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Cabell County Sheriff's Office. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Courtney L. Finney prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-105. ###


title: Brazilian National Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Obtain Driver’s Licenses for Illegal Aliens

body_text: BOSTON – A Brazilian national illegally residing in Boston pleaded guilty on March 6, 2026, to conspiring to obtain driver’s licenses for ineligible applicants, principally illegal aliens. Gabriel Nascimento De Andrade, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to unlawfully produce and possess with intent to transfer identification documents. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for April 9, 2026. In December 2024 , Nascimento De Andrade was charged along with four co-conspirators. From in or about November 2020 through in or about September 2024, Nascimento De Andrade and his alleged co-conspirators fraudulently procured driver’s licenses for illegal alien customers who resided in states that prohibited illegal aliens from obtaining driver’s licenses. Prior to July 2023, illegal aliens residing in Massachusetts were not permitted to obtain Massachusetts driver’s licenses. Beginning in 2019, illegal aliens residing in New York became eligible to obtain New York driver’s licenses. Gabriel Nascimento De Andrade and his alleged co-conspirators conspired to fraudulently obtain New York driver’s licenses for illegal alien customers who did not reside in New York, including Massachusetts residents, and after July 2023 to fraudulently obtain Massachusetts driver’s licenses for illegal alien customers who did not reside in Massachusetts. The co-conspirators collected money from the customers in exchange for fraudulently obtaining the driver’s licenses for them. In one instance, on April 24, 2024, Nascimento De Andrade requested and accepted $450 in cash from a customer in the parking lot of a Plymouth RMV branch location, in return for providing the customer with a fake cable bill to provide to the RMV, falsely showing that the customer lived at an address in Massachusetts. In New York, before obtaining a driver’s license, applicants were required to pass a written permit test and complete driver’s education coursework from a New York driving school. Online permit test-takers were required by the New York Department of Motor Vehicles (NY DMV) to take a picture of themselves with a web camera during the test. This was to ensure that the test-taker was indeed the applicant and that there was not a person sitting with and helping the applicant with the test. To avoid the customers having to take the permit tests, Gabriel Nascimento De Andrade and his alleged co-conspirators conspired to obtain several pictures of the customers sitting down, making it look as if the customers were taking the tests. They also allegedly conspired to complete the permit tests for the customers online and, when prompted by the NY DMV to take pictures during the tests, and to upload the pictures that the customers previously provided – purporting to show that it was the customers who were taking the tests, not the defendants. The co-conspirators allegedly conspired to create fraudulent driver’s education certificates of completion, purportedly from New York driving schools, and they conspired to forge the signatures of driving school staff on the fake certificates and to give these documents to the customers to provide to the NY DMV. The NY DMV also required that applicants appear at a NY DMV location and provide documents to prove their identity and residence in New York. The co-conspirators allegedly conspired to meet Massachusetts-based customers at locations in Massachusetts – typically several customers at a time – and drive them to NY DMV branch locations. When they arrived at the NY DMV locations, the defendants allegedly gave the customers fraudulent documents falsely purporting to demonstrate that the customers resided in New York. The NY DMV relied on the misrepresentations to issue New York driving permits to the customers. The co-conspirators allegedly conspired to arrange for the NY DMV to mail the permits to locations in New York that were controlled by the defendants and provided the permits to the customers in-person. The defendants then allegedly conspired to schedule road driving license tests for the customers with the NY DMV and, again, drive the customers to New York for them to take the road tests. If the customers passed the tests, the NY DMV sent the driver’s licenses to mailing addresses in New York that the defendants allegedly controlled, and the defendants then provided the licenses to the customers. The defendants allegedly conspired to obtain Massachusetts driver’s licenses for out-of-state residents, in generally the same manner as they allegedly obtained the New York licenses for Massachusetts residents. Collectively, the co-conspirators allegedly fraudulently applied for licenses for more than 1,000 customers, obtained licenses for more than 600 of the customers, and collected at least hundreds of thousands of dollars. Nascimento De Andrade is the third defendant to plead guilty in this case. For their roles in the conspiracy, in September 2025, defendant Cesar Agusto Marin Reis was sentenced to 290 days in prison, and in October 2025, Helbert Costa Generoso was sentenced to 9 months in prison. The charge of conspiracy to unlawfully produce and possess with intent to transfer identification documents carries up to five years in prison, up to 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. Nascimento De Andrade will be subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Kelly Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the NY DMV Division of Field Investigation; the Boston, Danbury (Conn.) and Waterbury (Conn.) Police Departments; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut; and the New York State Inspector General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan O’Shea of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Georgia felon indicted for targeting professional athletes in fraud and sex trafficking schemes

body_text: ATLANTA - Kwamaine Jerell Ford has been charged with targeting professional athletes through a phishing scam and thereafter engaging in a fraud and sex trafficking scheme. In 2019, in the Northern District of Georgia, Ford was convicted of computer fraud and aggravated identity theft for perpetrating similar phishing attacks and spending nearly $325,000 by using his victims’ stolen financial information. “While serving time for stealing credit card numbers from athletes and celebrities to fund his lifestyle, Ford allegedly engaged in the same conduct again,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Disturbingly, the indictment alleges that Ford went even further and used a fraudulent online persona to traffic a young woman and coerce her to produce hidden camera videos of commercial sex acts with unknowing individuals.” “Kwamaine Ford clearly did not learn from his prior conviction for a similar scheme. This time, he allegedly escalated his criminal activity—stealing identities and money while also moving into coercion and sex trafficking,” said FBI Georgia Acting Special Agent in Charge Peter Ellis. “The FBI’s dedicated agents remain committed to staying ahead of schemes like this and protecting the public from individuals who exploit and harm others for personal gain.” According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: beginning in at least November 2020, while in the Federal Bureau of Prisons custody, Ford allegedly obtained login credentials for Apple accounts belonging to NBA and NFL players through a two-pronged approach. First, Ford allegedly posed online as a well-known adult film star and offered to send sexually explicit videos to the athletes. At the same time, Ford spoofed legitimate Apple customer service accounts, posed as an Apple customer support representative, and requested, via text messages, that the victims send their username, password, and/or Multi-Factor Authentication codes in order to access the videos that his fraudulent adult film star persona was purportedly trying to send the victims. Through this phishing scheme, dozens of victims were allegedly tricked into providing their login credentials to Ford. After gaining control of the victims’ Apple accounts, Ford allegedly obtained credit and debit card information belonging to victims and used that information to pay for thousands of dollars in personal spending. Additionally, in May 2021, Ford allegedly posed as the adult film star and recruited, tricked, and coerced a female victim into engaging in commercial sex acts with the professional athletes based on false promises that the film star would advance the victim’s modeling career. Ford advertised the victim to the athletes, coordinated the victim’s travel to the athletes, and negotiated payments from the athletes for the purpose of purchasing sex with the victim. Ford used additional fraudulent personas to threaten the victim and maintain her continued involvement in commercial sex acts with the athletes. Using false personas, Ford obtained a financial cut from the commercial sex acts, many of which Ford allegedly coerced his victim into filming without the athletes’ knowledge or consent. On March 13, 2026, Kwamaine Jerell Ford, 34, of Buford, Georgia appeared in federal court and pled not guilty to nine counts of wire fraud, seven counts of computer fraud, one count of access device fraud, four counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of sex trafficking. A U.S. magistrate judge ordered that Ford be held without bail pending trial. Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bernita B. Malloy and Phyllis Clerk are prosecuting the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Natasha Cooper investigated the case prior to the indictment. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Massachusetts Man Sentenced to More Than 9 Years in Federal Prison for Firearm Offenses

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that NICHOLAS KINGSLEY, 42, of Agawam, Massachusetts, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 110 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for firearm possession offenses. According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation into Chinese companies suspected of importing firearms parts, including machinegun conversion devices (“MCDs) and silencers. During the investigation, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) flagged several packages containing MCDs and silencers that were addressed to Kingsley’s residence in Agawam. U.S. Customs and Border Protection intercepted and searched one of the packages addressed to Kingsley and found three silencers and four MCDs. On April 8, 2024, HSI executed a search warrant at Kingsley’s residence and found a small amount of narcotics, but no firearms. Kingsley was arrested on state drug charges and released on bond. On April 16, 2024, Enfield Police arrested Kingsley after they stopped a vehicle in which Kingsley was a passenger and found three privately made firearms (“ghost guns”), a silencer, an extended magazine, a Glock MCD, and 45 rounds of ammunition. On April 18, 2024, while Kingsley was detained in state custody, HSI special agents conducted a search of his vehicle in Agawam and seized 14 firearms, several Glock MCDs, magazines, body armor, and approximately 3,000 rounds of various caliber ammunition. A subsequent search of Kingsley’s phones revealed evidence of purchases of MCDs and firearms, including a conversation between Kingsley and a Chinese company discussing an order of MCDs. Kingsley’s criminal history includes felony convictions for drug, firearm, assault, and larceny offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce. Kingsley has been detained since his arrest. On December 22, 2025, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of firearms by a felon, unlawful possession of a machine gun, and unlawful possession of a weapon in violation of the National Firearms Act. This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Enfield Police Department, and the Agawam Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Lembo.


title: Jackson Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Attempted Hobbs Act Robbery with Firearm

component: Department of Justice

body_text: Jackson, MS – A Jackson man was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Friday, March 13, for the attempted robbery of a dollar store in Jackson. According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 2, 2022, Torrance Stewart, 31, entered a local business with the intent to rob the store with a firearm. Stewart brandished a pistol and threatened the store clerk into retrieving money from the cash register. When the register malfunctioned, Stewart fled on foot. Jackson Police Department (JPD) officers responded and apprehended Stewart in a nearby neighborhood following a foot chase. United States Attorney Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi and ATF Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson made the announcement. The United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives is investigating the case with assistance from the Jackson Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Brett Grantham prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Registered Sex Offender from Uxbridge Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possessing Child Pornography

body_text: BOSTON – An Uxbridge man was sentenced on March 13, 2026 in federal court in Worcester for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Scott Morrill, 52, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to 10 years in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release. In October 2025 , Morrill pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography. Morrill was arrested and charged in April 2025 . Morrill utilized a Google account to store hundreds of images of CSAM material. Google identified the use of their services to store CSAM and notified the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children. A subsequent investigation identified CSAM material stored both in the defendant’s Google account and on a computer that he possessed at his home. At the time of the offense, Morrill was on federal supervised release for a 2013 conviction of distribution of child pornography, for which he was sentenced to five years in federal prison. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Uxbridge Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Noto of the Worcester Branch Office 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 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 .


component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: Public Service Alert: Victim Identification in Gift Card Fraud Scheme CONCORD – Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Hampshire are seeking to identify victims of a sophisticated gift card fraud scheme for potential restitution. Foreign criminal organizations have stolen millions of dollars in gift cards through elder fraud, romance fraud, sextortion, gift card tampering, and network intrusions. They used these funds to buy high-end electronics and exported them abroad. Who qualifies for restitution? You may qualify for restitution if between Oct. 1, 2023, and Sept. 1, 2025, you: • Had Apple gift card funds stolen; • Were a victim of fraud or scams and paid scammers with Apple gift cards; or • Had Apple gift cards that were used without your authorization. How do I know if I’m a qualifying victim? You can submit your information using our questionnaire here: Seeking Victim Information Gift Card Fraud Scheme Your Apple gift card number will be cross referenced with Apple purchases known to be involved in this crime. If matched, HSI will contact you to request proof of purchase of the gift cards. Any identified victims can expect to be contacted within 30 days of the closing of this filing period, which will be open until May 15, 2026. Do I have to live in New Hampshire to receive restitution? No, victims in this case can be from anywhere in the U.S. Any questions can be directed to HSINewEnglandVictimAssistance@ice.dhs.gov . To learn more about gift card fraud, visit: https://www.ice.gov/hsi/news/hsi-insider/tackling-gift-card-fraud


title: Azerbaijani National Indicted for $1 Million Wire Fraud and Money Laundering Offense Against the United States Postal Service

body_text: Orlando, Florida – Khayyam Arif Oglu Farajov (age 40) has been charged by indictment with five counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each count. The indictment also notifies Farajov that the United States intends to forfeit two personal investment accounts, seized by the United States, which were involved in the money laundering and are alleged to contain the proceeds of the offenses. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to the indictment, Farajov owned and operated a freight brokerage company called Talishco LLC. In May 2022, Farajov enrolled in the United States Postal Service’s (USPS) Freight Auction program. Through Freight Auction, Farajov bid on and was awarded hundreds of contracts to transport U.S. Mail across the country on behalf of the USPS. For the majority of these contracts, Farajov failed to transport the mail or hire anyone else to do so, making false excuses to the USPS about why his trucks had not arrived on schedule. Despite failing to deliver the loads, Farajov would then log back into Freight Auction, manually enter bogus delivery information, and get paid. Farajov obtained more than $1 million from this scheme between June 2022 and January 2023. After he received the money, he funneled it through a series of bank accounts belonging to shell companies he owned. After reconsolidating the fraud proceeds into two personal investment brokerage accounts, he invested the fraud proceeds in the stock market for his personal enrichment. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the USPS Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard Varadan. Assistant United States Nicole Andrejko is handling the forfeiture.


title: Leader of North Shore Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to Nineteen Years in Prison

body_text: BOSTON – A Saugus man was sentenced in federal court in Boston for leading a North Shore-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed tens of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine and laundered the proceeds. Lawrence Michael Nagle, Jr., 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Senior Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 19 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. In April 2025 , Nagle pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, involving 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams of more of methamphetamine; five counts of possession with intent to distribute various weights of fentanyl, methamphetamine and oxycodone; one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; one count of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition; and one count of money laundering conspiracy. Nagle, Jr. was one of 27 individuals charged, beginning in October 2022 , in connection with a wide-ranging conspiracy to traffic counterfeit prescription pills. In 2018, law enforcement identified Nagle, Jr. and his brother, Christopher Nagle, as leaders of a DTO distributing various controlled substances throughout the North Shore region of Massachusetts. The Nagle DTO distributed significant quantities of various controlled substances, including, Adderall (both pharmaceutical-grade pills and counterfeit pills containing methamphetamine), methamphetamine, Xanax, Oxycodone (both pharmaceutical-grade and counterfeit pills containing fentanyl), cocaine and marijuana, among others. The Nagle DTO distributed controlled substances to a network of individuals who would then redistribute the drugs to other traffickers, including separate, but interconnected, organizations. The investigation resulted in numerous seizures of controlled substances, including: over 74,000 counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, weighing more than 24 kilograms; 591 counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine; 1,000 counterfeit Oxycodone pills containing fentanyl; and 101 counterfeit Oxycodone pills containing fentanyl. In January 2022, a search of Christopher Nagle’s apartment recovered more than 74,000 counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, weighing more than 24 kilograms. On Oct. 25, 2022, a search of Nagle, Jr.’s home in Saugus and two homes he used to store narcotics—one of which was inhabited by Castillo—resulted in the seizure of more than 7.8 kilograms of fentanyl and more than 650 grams of methamphetamine. In addition, two Glock firearms and ammunition were recovered from Nagle, Jr.’s house in close proximity to oxycodone pills. At the time, Nagle, Jr. was a felon who was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. In August 2024 , Christipher Nagle was sentenced to 139 months in prison. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Beverly, Everett, Peabody, Revere, Salem, Saugus and Swampscott Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys K. Nathaniel Yeager, and Samuel R. Feldman of the Criminal Division and Annapurna Balakrishna of the Asset Forfeiture Unit prosecuted the case. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.


title: Second Southern Colorado Funeral Home Operator Sentenced To 18 Years In Federal Prison After Pleading Guilty To Defrauding Grieving Families, COVID-19 Funds

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Carie Hallford, 49, of Colorado Springs was sentenced to 216 months in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and $1,070,413.74 in restitution after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Hallford, who owned and operated Return to Nature Funeral Home in Colorado Springs and Penrose with her then husband and codefendant, Jon Hallford, mishandled at least 190 bodies over four years and defrauded the Small Business Administration (SBA) through fraudulent COVID-19 loan applications. Jon Hallford was sentenced in June 2025 to 240 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $1,070,413.74 in restitution for his role in the conspiracy. According to the plea agreement, from as early as September 2019 through October 2023, Hallford and her husband failed to cremate or bury at least 190 bodies, despite having collected more than $130,000 from grieving families for funeral services that were never provided. The defendants failed to provide the basic core service it promised to some of its customers, either a cremation or a burial, and continued to collect payment from victims for funeral services and goods. The plea agreement further states that Carie Hallford handled much of the banking, invoicing, contracting with customers, filing of required paperwork, bookkeeping and communications with customers. Both defendants routinely prepared death certificates for the deceased and then filed those certificates with the State of Colorado’s Electronic Death Registry. On many of the death certificates for the bodies found at the Penrose location, the defendants falsely stated that the “method of disposition” was by either cremation or burial when in truth there was no disposition as the bodies were left decomposing at the Penrose location. To carry out and execute the above fraud scheme, the defendant and her husband worked together to cause multiple interstate wire communications to occur. The plea agreement goes on to state that from March 2020 to March 2022, Hallford and her husband conspired to defraud the SBA by submitting loan applications containing false information to obtain COVID-19 relief funds. As a result of this fraud, they received three separate disbursements from the SBA, totaling $882,300. The funds were obtained through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, which was established to provide emergency support to businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. On October 5, 2023, federal and state officials searched the Penrose location, where they discovered multiple decomposing human remains in hazardous conditions. The toxic environment posed serious health risks to first responders and the public, requiring hazmat suits and strict decontamination protocols. The EPA later condemned and demolished the building, classifying it as a toxic waste site. “It takes an exceptionally sick person to even think of a fraud scheme like Jon and Carie Hallford’s, let alone carry it out. Their disregard for fundamental human dignity is almost beyond belief,” said United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly. “I hope the victims take some solace in the serious sentences handed down to both Hallfords. This case doesn’t right the wrongs the victims have suffered, but it does stand as an unequivocal condemnation of the Hallfords’ horrific criminal conduct.” "The defendant defrauded grieving families she agreed to serve while deceiving the federal government in order to obtain benefits meant to assist businesses during the pandemic,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Amanda Koldjeski. “She denied families well deserved dignity and showed blatant disregard for government rules. She lied and exploited families and systems to enrich her lifestyle with absolutely zero regard for the great harm she caused to so many." The District of Colorado’s U.S. Attorney’s Office heads one of five national COVID-19 Fraud Strike Force Teams, which is focused on combatting and preventing COVID-19 related financial fraud. The Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources and focuses on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors, as well as those who committed multiple instances of pandemic relief fraud. The Strike Force uses prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. 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 United States District Judge Nina Y. Wang presided over the hearing. The FBI Denver Field Office and the United States Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Several other state and local law enforcement agencies including the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, the Colorado Springs Police Department, the El Paso County Coroner’s Office, the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, and the Fremont County Coroner’s Office have made significant contributions to this case. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Tim Neff and Craig Fansler. Case Number: 1:24-cr-00113-NYW


title: Arkansas man sentenced to 17+ years for robbing Maryville motel

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

body_text: EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A district judge sentenced an Arkansas man to 210 months’ imprisonment after he admitted to robbing a motel in Maryville at gunpoint. Rickey Martin, Jr., 36, pleaded guilty in November to one count of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of brandish and use of a firearm during a crime of violence. Following imprisonment, he will serve three years of supervised release. The judge also ordered Martin to pay $1,440 in restitution. “Gun violence will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “All thieves lack honor, but armed robbers embody a special evil, because they use violence and intimidation to take what they have neither earned, created, nor deserved, from the innocent people who have.” According to court documents, Martin admitted to robbing the owner of a motel in Maryville in May 2023. He brandished a firearm loaded with an extended magazine and forcefully stole the victim’s wallet and cash from the motel. “The Maryville Police Department is grateful for the strong partnership between us and our local and federal law enforcement partners that helped bring this case to a successful conclusion,” said Maryville Police Chief Tony Manley. “Investigations like this show that when agencies work together and share information, we can hold offenders accountable and protect our community.” Shortly after the robbery, Martin used the victim’s credit cards at a gas station and a fast-food restaurant. “The sentence imposed in this case reflects the serious consequences violent offenders face when they commit violent crimes using firearms,” said ATF Chicago Field Division Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon. “ATF, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our law enforcement partners remain steadfast in ensuring that those who commit acts of violence are held accountable.” ATF and the Maryville Police Department led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ali Burns prosecuted the case.


title: Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to Over 15 Years in Prison for Possession of a Firearm

body_text: Memphis, TN – A Memphis man, Derrick Richard, 36 , has been sentenced to more than 15 years in prison for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today. According to information presented in court, on December 22, 2022, an officer with the Memphis Police Department arrested Richard and discovered a Jimenez .25 caliber pistol in Richard’s pocket. A trial jury made a special finding that Richard had previously been convicted of three violent felonies on different occasions, therefore designating Richard as an Armed Career Criminal (ACC). Due to this designation, Richard was facing a mandatory statutory minimum of fifteen years in prison. On March 12, 2026, Chief U.S. District Court Judge Sheryl H. Lipman sentenced Richard to 188 months in federal prison for one count of possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. There is no parole in the federal system. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "This case targets and removes a dangerous person from the community BEFORE he pulls the trigger again. Richard has spent years sowing a culture of criminality in Memphis, and he will now reap a long prison sentence without the sanctuary of parole.” This case was investigated by the Memphis Police Department (MPD) and the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Task Force. Assistant United States Attorneys Jermal Blanchard and Jennifer Musselwhite prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. ### For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: Edinburg man gets 18 years for distributing child sexual abuse material to a minor

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 36-year-old South Texas resident has been sent to prison after sexting with a young girl and sending child pornography involving minors as young as newborns, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck. Jaime Christian Flores pleaded guilty June 2, 2025. U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now imposed a 216-month federal prison term. At the hearing, the court heard from a victim via letter explaining how she feels scarred and traumatized and wanted the judge to make sure Flores doesn’t hurt anyone else. Flores was further ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution to each of 28 victims and will serve five years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. In April 2024, authorities discovered Flores was part of an online group dedicated to sharing child sexual abuse material. He shared 30 images and one video of CSAM while in the chat room. Flores later admitted to using his cellphone to download and distribute CSAM. He also stated he had been communicating with a 17-year-old minor for the past year and regularly sent CSAM and sexted with her. The investigation revealed Flores sent approximately 292 videos depicting minors ranging from newborn to 13 years of age engaged in sexual conduct or depicting their genital areas. A forensic examination of Flores’s cellphone revealed a total of 7,647 images and 4,019 videos of CSAM. Flores was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Alexis Garcia prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page . For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page .


title: Mexican national gets seven years for illegally reentering the U.S.

body_text: HOUSTON – A 44-year-old man who illegally resided in Houston has been ordered to federal prison for unlawfully reentering the country for the fifth time, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck. Fernando Ramirez-Noria pleaded guilty Aug. 12, 2025. U.S. District Judge Charles R. Eskridge has now ordered Ramirez-Noria to serve 84 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence about his criminal history while illegally present in the country. Ramirez-Noria has previous convictions for domestic violence, driving while intoxicated and illegal reentry. Law enforcement first removed Ramirez-Noria in January 2015, and he repeatedly returned. He was last removed in June 2020, but authorities discovered he was again unlawfully in the United States following his DWI arrest in 2023. He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luis Batarse prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.