title: Lane County Man Sentenced to 24 Years in Federal Prison for Coercing and Sexually Exploiting Children in Oregon, New York, and Florida

body_text: EUGENE, Ore.— A Eugene, Oregon, man was sentenced to federal prison today for using social media platforms, including Snapchat and Instagram, to exploit and coerce children in Oregon, New York, and Florida. Vincent Alan Elder, 32, was sentenced to 288 months in federal prison followed by a lifetime term of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution to each of his three victims. According to court documents and statements made in court, Elder used social media to meet and communicate with three identified minors in 2022 and 2023. He sent online payments to encourage a minor victim in Florida to make and send nude photos. To obtain the same from a minor victim in Oregon, he sent vape pens, food delivery orders, and left bags of cash near the victim’s house. When a minor victim in New York tried to cease contact with him, Elder threatened to tell the victim’s mother or even involve that victim’s younger sibling—an act known as sextortion. After learning of the allegations, in November 2023, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) executed search warrants for Elder’s person, devices, and motel room. On December 1, 2023, the FBI arrested Elder. A search of his devices showed chats with some of the minor victims, the Oregon victim’s personal information, and nude images of the Florida victim. “I am thankful for the brave victims who came forward, and I am grateful to the law enforcement agencies who helped bring this dangerous predator to justice,” said United States Attorney Scott E. Bradford. “We will continue to seek significant prison sentences for anyone who targets our communities’ children.” “Investigating crimes against children is some of the most important work we do at the FBI,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Doug Olson. “The crimes committed in this instance were egregious, and we moved swiftly to stop the predatory behavior. Even one child subjected to such abuse is one too many, and we continue to work with our local law enforcement partners to find instances of abuse and protect our communities.” On January 18, 2024, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a seven-count indictment charging Elder with Using a Minor to Produce a Visual Depiction of Sexually Explicit Conduct and Attempt, Coercion and Enticement of a Minor and Attempt, and Possession of Child Pornography. On July 29, 2025, Elder pleaded guilty to two counts of Using a Minor to Produce a Visual Depiction of Sexually Explicit Conduct with regard to the New York and Florida victims and one count of Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor with regard to the Oregon victim. This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Springfield Police Department and the Eugene Police Department. It was prosecuted by William M. McLaren, Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Oregon. Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov . Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, they re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org . This case was brought in collaboration with 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 www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Armed Felon Arrested After Shooting Federal Officer During Execution of Search Warrant and Sixteen-Hour Armed Standoff

component: USAO - Hawaii

body_text: HONOLULU – Acting United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Robert Morris, 49, of Honolulu, Hawaii, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint yesterday with assaulting a federal officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon, using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. According to court documents, on October 22, 2025, federal agents arrested Morris at his residence in Honolulu, Hawaii. The arrest followed a 16-hour armed standoff that began the morning of October 21 after federal law enforcement attempted to execute a federal search warrant at Morris’s residence. Before federal law enforcement could enter the residence, Morris fired several shots from inside the residence, striking and injuring a DEA Task Force Officer. Federal law enforcement fired shots into the residence during the exchange. Following the gunfire, Morris refused to exit the residence and engaged in a standoff with law enforcement, while broadcasting a Facebook Live stream from inside the residence. After approximately sixteen hours, Morris surrendered to law enforcement and was taken into custody. Law enforcement located a .40 caliber firearm inside the residence, which Morris subsequently admitted he used during the shootout. If convicted of the charged offenses, Morris faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for assaulting a federal officer, 15 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, as well as a mandatory minimum of 25 years, and a maximum of life, for using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence to run consecutive to any other sentence, along with potential fines. The charges in the criminal complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In the case of conviction, any sentence would be imposed by a United States District Judge based on the statutory sentencing factors and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Honolulu Police Department, and Hawaii Department of Law Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Albanese. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).


title: Former Correctional Officer and Two Co-Conspirators Sentenced to Prison for Scheme to Smuggle Contraband Into Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Breyanna Cornish, 30, Jawayne Brown, 41, and Ahmad Nasir, aka Hussain Abdussamad, 44, all of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have been sentenced by United States District Judge Gerald J. Pappert, in connection with a scheme to smuggle contraband — including drugs, phones, chargers, cigarettes, and knives — into the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center (“PICC”) from April 2021 through July 2021. Judge Pappert sentenced Cornish this morning to two years in prison and three years of supervised release. Brown was sentenced yesterday to 15 months in prison, a $2,500 fine, and three years of supervised release. Nasir was sentenced earlier this month to 78 months in prison and three years of supervised release. The defendants were charged by indictment in August 2024. All three pleaded guilty earlier this year, Nasir to one count of conspiracy to commit federal program bribery, one count of federal program bribery, one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of buprenorphine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of buprenorphine. Brown pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit federal program bribery, one count of federal program bribery, and one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of buprenorphine. Cornish pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit federal program bribery and one count of federal program bribery. As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendants, Nasir, who was then detained pre-trial at PICC, worked with Brown, who was not incarcerated, Cornish, who was then a PICC correctional officer (“C.O.”) employed by the Philadelphia Department of Prisons (“PDP”), and several other associates to purchase and assemble contraband. Cornish then smuggled the contraband into PICC, where Nasir sold the contraband to other inmates for a profit. Nasir then instructed associates to pay Cornish for her role smuggling the contraband into the prison and Brown for his work purchasing and assembling the packages. On July 10, 2021, PDP conducted a search of the cell Nasir shared with another inmate. In a compartment in the ceiling behind a light fixture, officers recovered 19 cellphones, 20 cellphone chargers, one rapid charger, two super glues, two screwdrivers, one roll of tape, three hunting knives, one Ziploc bag containing the synthetic cannabinoid commonly known as K2, one Ziploc bag of tobacco, one alprazolam pill, and at least 110 packets of Suboxone. Following the search of the cell, officers conducted a search of Nasir and his cellmate, and recovered a cellphone from each of them. Text messages and WhatsApp messages extracted from the phone recovered from Nasir’s person revealed that from June 19, 2021, to July 6, 2021, C.O. Cornish, Nasir, and Brown discussed via text specific contraband items to be acquired, the delivery of contraband packages, and payments for the items and to co-conspirators. Nasir simultaneously sent messages to multiple inmates about the purchase and delivery of contraband. This case was investigated by the FBI, with significant assistance from the Philadelphia Department of Prisons, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Meghan Claiborne and Ruth Mandelbaum. Note: the posting of this press release was delayed, due to the federal government shutdown from October 1, 2025, to November 12, 2025.


title: Convicted felon sentenced to over 15 years for restaurant robbery

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: Editor's Note: This matter occurred on date indicated, but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations. HOUSTON – A 34-year-old Houston resident and documented gang member has been ordered to federal prison for striking a manager with a gun at a local food establishment during a robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett found Kelvin Patton guilty of interference with commerce through robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence following a one-day bench trial that occurred Nov. 5, 2024. The court has now handed Patton an 89-month term of imprisonment for the robbery. He also received 96 months for the firearms charge which must be served consecutively to the other sentence imposed. The total 185-month prison term will be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that described Patton’s lengthy history of repeatedly committing felony offenses, even while on court supervision. In handing down the sentence, Judge Bennett noted Patton was on a path that will lead to one of two places - him spending the rest of his life in prison or his early death. From 2019 to 2022, Patton committed multiple felonies, including robbery, vehicle theft and unlawful possession of firearms and body armor. In each instance, he was released on bond. Shortly following the release on the weapons charge, Patton followed a Denny’s manager from a bank to the restaurant on Hillcroft Ave. in Houston. Surveillance video captured Patton striking the manager in the head with a firearm and stealing a bank bag before fleeing in a car. Later, someone observed Patton looking into vehicles outside a bank. Patton followed the person as they left. However, authorities identified him and took him into custody. At trial, the defense argued the robbery was outside federal jurisdiction. The court did not believe those claims and found Patton guilty as charged. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition per federal law. Patton will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Houston Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart Tallichet prosecuted the case.


title: City Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Violent Carjacking in Northeast Philadelphia

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

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Brian Amerman, aka “BD” and “Fat,” 21, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 144 months’ imprisonment, five years of supervised release, and $2,500 in restitution by United States District Judge Nitza I. Quiñones Alejandro for his role in a violent armed carjacking in Northeast Philadelphia. The defendant was charged by indictment in February 2024 and pleaded guilty in April of this year to one count of carjacking and aiding and abetting, and one count of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and aiding and abetting. As detailed in court filings, shortly before 1 a.m. on May 12, 2023, Victim 1 parked their Nissan Murano next to a standalone ATM in the parking lot of a shopping plaza located in the 6500 block of Roosevelt Boulevard. Victim 1 got out of the car and began using the ATM. As Victim 1 did so, Amerman and a second individual got out of a nearby car and approached Victim 1. Amerman, armed with a black and tan semiautomatic pistol with an extended magazine, shoved the gun in Victim 1’s face and then hit Victim 1 in the head with the gun. Amerman and the second individual demanded Victim 1’s car keys, and Victim 1 provided their keys and wallet to the carjackers. The second individual drove away in Victim 1’s Nissan Murano. Amerman returned to the vehicle that he had come from and he and the driver fled the scene. Just over an hour later, Amerman and two other individuals in a grey Honda Accord arrived at a BP gas station in Oxford Circle, Pa., approximately 1.2 miles away from the ATM referenced above. Amerman and the driver entered the gas station, where charges attempted on Victim 1’s bank card were declined twice. Nine days later, on May 21, 2023, Philadelphia police recovered the license plate from Victim 1’s Nissan Murano inside the trunk of a crashed grey Honda Accord that appeared consistent with the Honda Accord observed at the BP station. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Amerman’s Instagram account, which contained photos and videos of himself, including a photo from the day before the carjacking of Amerman posing with a black and tan semiautomatic pistol with an extended magazine, consistent with the one used during the carjacking, and a video of him the day after the carjacking pointing a black and tan semiautomatic pistol with an extended magazine at the camera, also consistent with the one used during the carjacking. The account also contained photos and videos of himself close in time to the carjacking wearing clothing consistent with what he wore when he committed the crime. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Meghan A. Farley and Assistant United States Attorney Priya T. De Souza. Note: the posting of this press release was delayed, due to the federal government shutdown from October 1, 2025, to November 12, 2025.


body_text: Repeat Offender Pleads Guilty to Health Care Fraud Scheme in New Hampshire CONCORD – A Florida man pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud for causing psychotherapy sessions to be fraudulently billed to New Hampshire Medicaid. According to court documents, Erik X. Alonso, 55, of Miami, Florida, was previously convicted in 2015 of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and related offenses in the Southern District of Florida. The Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), maintained an Exclusion List that identified individuals who could not receive payment from federal health care programs, including Medicaid. As a result of his conviction, Alonso, a psychotherapist, was placed on the Exclusion List. According to court documents, in March 2022, Alonso began working for a telehealth mental health provider based in New Hampshire, through which he provided services billed to New Hampshire Medicaid patients despite knowing he was on the Exclusion List. Alonso also caused the provider to submit claims to New Hampshire Medicaid for counseling services that were not provided as represented, including in instances in which Alonso requested – and later received – a patient’s assistance with personal tasks like preparing a presidential pardon for Alonso’s 2015 health care fraud conviction and various medical licensure documents. As a result of the scheme, Alonso admitted that he caused New Hampshire Medicaid to pay approximately $173,998.83 based on false and fraudulent claims. Alonso pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on January 28, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan for the District of New Hampshire, Special Agent in Charge Roberto Coviello of HHS-OIG, and Special Agent in Charge Ted E. Docks of the FBI Boston Field Office made the announcement. HHS-OIG and the FBI investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Thomas D. Campbell, John W. Howard, and Danielle H. Sakowski of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Vicinanzo of the District of New Hampshire are prosecuting the case. 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 nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 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: Niagara Falls man going to prison for more than 10 years on drug and gun charges

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Edward Rollie, 49, of Niagara Falls, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, was sentenced to serve 121 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch, who handled the case, stated that on August 28, 2024, investigators executed search warrants associated with Rollie at a Spruce Avenue residence in Niagara Falls, where Rollie’s son resides. They recovered approximately 594 grams of fentanyl, approximately 683 grams of cocaine, and a 9mm semi-automatic handgun. In July 2002, Rollie was convicted of a federal felony drug charge in the Western District of Pennsylvania and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm. The investigation also included controlled purchases of fentanyl from Rollie. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera, the Niagara Falls Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Nick Ligammari, the Niagara County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff Michael Filicetti, the North Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief Keith Glass, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto, and the Erie County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia. # # # #


title: Baltimore City Man and Woman Plead Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – Duane Watts, 46, and Donna Jones, 59, both of Baltimore, pled guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft in connection with an unemployment insurance (UI) fraud scheme. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty pleas with Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), and Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act — a federal law enacted in March 2020 — provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also authorized increased UI benefits. According to both guilty pleas, beginning in May 2020, and continuing through at least May 2021, Watts, Jones, and other co-conspirators, engaged in a conspiracy and scheme to defraud and obtain money by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises, in connection with an UI fraud scheme. Specifically, Watts and Jones obtained the personal identifiable information (PII) of identity theft victims and used the PII to cause false and fraudulent claims. The co-conspirators then submitted the fraudulent claims to the Maryland Department of Labor (MD-DOL) for UI. Watts and Jones, along with their co-conspirators, used the UI benefits, which were designated to assist unemployed or underemployed persons due to the COVID-19 national emergency, for their own personal enrichment. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DOL-OIG and FBI, along with Bank of America – Detection and Complex Investigations Fraud Rings and Analytics, for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney John D’Amico, who prosecuted the case, and recognized Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber for her valuable assistance. The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the CARES Act. Strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts that use prosecutor-led and data-analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus . Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Former Bank Employee Charged with Stealing More Than $125,000 from Elderly Customer with Dementia

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A former employee of Santander Bank has been charged in federal court for allegedly stealing more than $125,000 from the bank account of a 78-year-old customer with dementia, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. Carlos Bras, 41 of East Providence, appeared in federal court on October 23, 2025 and charged by way of criminal complaint with wire fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft. Bras was employed by Santander Bank at the time of the offense and had access to customer financial accounts. In May 2023, Bras allegedly accessed the account of the 78-year-old victim, who resided in an assisted living facility and had a court-appointed conservator in Massachusetts. According to charging documents, Bras is alleged to have enabled online banking access to the victim’s account, ordered checks sent to an address in Fall River and his own residence, and ordered a debit card for his personal use. It is also alleged that he conducted numerous unauthorized transactions to his wife’s account, and several large wire transfers to a Portuguese bank account in her name. The charging documents also allege the following: Santander Bank investigators confronted Bras, who initially denied knowing the victim but later claimed he had assisted him with in-branch transactions. Bank security footage showed that the individuals in Bras’ office at the time of the transfers were not the victim. Bras also did not disclose that his wife was the recipient of the wire transfers until confronted. The case was referred to Seekonk Police Department and subsequently picked up by the United States Secret Service. Through the federal investigation, a contract purporting for the sale of a property in Portugal was discovered, allegedly signed by Bras and the victim. The victim’s conservator stated he was unaware of any such real estate contract, that the signature on the document did not match the victims, and that the address listed for the victim was incorrect. A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney G. Michael Seaman. The matter was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Seekonk Police Department.


title: Philadelphia Man Convicted at Trial of Robbing the Same City Business at Gunpoint Twice

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Nasir Butler, 29, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was convicted today at trial of two counts of robbery interfering with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery) and two counts of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during or in relation to a crime of violence, arising from his armed robberies of the same city business twice in three weeks. The defendant was charged by indictment in January of this year. Prior to his trial, Butler pleaded guilty to Count Five of the indictment, possession of a firearm by a felon. As proven at trial, on September 20, 2024, and again on October 11, 2024, Butler contacted a business located on the 1200 block of Bridge Street under the pretext of making an appointment. On both dates, after arriving at the establishment, he pointed a gun at employees, demanded money, and left with cash belonging to the business. The defendant will be sentenced on a date to be determined and faces a maximum possible term of life imprisonment, with a mandatory minimum sentence of 14 years in prison. This case was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department and the FBI Philadelphia Violent Crimes Task Force and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Izabella Babchinetskaya and Assistant United States Attorney Priya De Souza. Note: the posting of this press release was delayed, due to the federal government shutdown from October 1, 2025, to November 12, 2025.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office, Law Enforcement, and the Drug Enforcement Administration Team Up for the 29th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

component: USAO - West Virginia, Northern

body_text: WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey is encouraging residents to participate in this weekend’s Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. Law Enforcement and the Drug Enforcement Administration will host DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Saturday, October 25, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at locations across the Northern District of West Virginia and the country. DEA and its partners will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription drugs. “While drug overdose deaths are down nearly 40% in West Virginia, there’s still work to do. Every death is a significant loss,” said U.S. Attorney Harvey. “Lives lost are someone’s sister, brother, father, mother. Disposing of prescription drugs safely is an important preventative step.” For sixteen years, DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day has helped Americans safely dispose of unneeded medications—those that are old, unwanted, or expired—to prevent drug misuse and abuse. Take Back Day offers free and anonymous disposal of unneeded medications at nearly 4,500 drop-off locations nationwide . In partnership with local law enforcement, Take Back Day has removed more than 19.8 million pounds (10,000 tons) of medication from circulation since its inception. Collection sites will not accept syringes, sharps, and illicit drugs. Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should remain sealed in their original container. The cap must be tightly sealed to prevent leakage. For more information and to find a collection site near you, visit www.DEATakeBack.com .


title: Mother and Daughter Charged with Forced Labor

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging Luz Maria Peña Lopez, 55, and her daughter, Tatiana Correa Peña, 36, of Carolina, Puerto Rico, with forced labor and conspiracy to commit forced labor, announced Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico W. Stephen Muldrow. Peña Lopez was also charged with document servitude, and Peña Lopez’s husband, Enrique Gutierrez Rivera, 54, a municipal police officer in Carolina, Puerto Rico, was charged with misprision of a felony related to his knowledge, failure to report, and concealment of his co-defendants’ misuse of the victim’s Social Security benefits. The three defendants were placed under arrest early this morning. According to the indictment, defendants Peña Lopez and Correa Peña used physical beatings, physical restraint, threats of violence, document servitude, isolation, denial of basic hygiene and medical care, and the provision of drugs and/or unprescribed medication to force the victim—an intellectually disabled adult woman—to panhandle for money, engage in criminal and fraudulent activities for their financial benefit, and perform domestic labor in their shared residence. Defendants Peña Lopez and Correa Peña also converted the victim’s monthly Social Security disability benefits for their own personal use. “The Justice Department condemns the appalling abuse and forced labor inflicted on this disabled victim, as alleged in this indictment, and we are committed to ensuring the perpetrators face the full consequences of the law,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. The indictment specifically notes that as part of their coercive scheme to compel the victim’s labor, defendants Peña Lopez and Correa Peña threatened the victim with violence and death; physically beat the victim, sometimes using objects such as belts, broomsticks, and cables; restricted the victim’s ability to leave the residence by forcing her to sleep in a space formerly used to house goats and roosters, at times locking her inside overnight; and used the victim’s Social Security disability benefits for their own personal use, denying those funds to the victim for even basic hygiene items such as clothes, toothbrushes, deodorant, and sanitary pads. The maximum penalty for the offense of forced labor is 20 years in federal prison. The maximum penalty for misprision of a felony is three years. The case is being investigated by the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daynelle Alverez and Trial Attorney Jessica Arco of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit. Anyone who believes they may have relevant information to share about this case is asked to contact the FBI Field Office at 1-787-987-6500. If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Post Falls Man Indicted for Sexual Exploitation of a Child, Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Materials, and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Materials

component: USAO - Idaho

body_text: COEUR D’ALENE – A federal grand jury in Coeur d’Alene returned an indictment today charging Zachary Dean Perpinan, 26, with Sexual Exploitation of a Child, Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Materials, and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Materials, U.S. Attorney Bart Davis announced today. According to court records, the investigation began with a Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), undercover operation on the dark web. During the operation, investigators identified an individual who was posting images of child sexual abuse material on the dark web. In some online postings, the individual wrote that the child was five years old, and in other posts, the individual wrote that the child was six years old. Investigators traced the source of the images to the Defendant’s residence in Post Falls, Idaho. Working alongside the Post Falls Police Department, HSI executed a federal search warrant at the Defendant’s residence on October 10, 2025. They found the Defendant and a six-year-old girl at the residence. Law enforcement removed the Defendant and arrested him. They also seized multiple electronic devices from the Defendant’s residence and determined that they contained numerous child sexual abuse materials, including several images and videos of the six-year-old child. If convicted, Perpinan faces a minimum of 15 and a maximum of 30 years in federal prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Child, a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 20 years in prison for Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Materials, and a maximum of 20 years in prison for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse materials. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Davis made the announcement and commended the excellent work of the Post Falls Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, which led to the charges. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) of the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law . ###


title: Portland Woman Charged with Assaulting Federal Law Enforcement Officer Near Local ICE Office

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland woman made her first appearance in federal court yesterday after allegedly assaulting a federal officer near a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in South Portland. Lisa Miyamoto, 56, has been charged by criminal complaint with the felony offense of assaulting a federal officer. According to court documents, on October 19, 2025, federal officers deployed outside the gates of the ICE facility to clear the vehicle entrance for vehicles to exit the facility. Miyamoto forcefully struck an officer with a wooden tambourine and was arrested by officers. Since June 13, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office has charged 36 defendants with federal crimes for offenses committed near ICE facilities, including assaulting federal officers, failure to comply, and depredation of government property. Miyamoto made her first appearance in federal court yesterday before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. She was released on conditions pending further court proceedings. Felony assault of a federal officer is punishable by up to eight years in federal prison. A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: October 25th Is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson today announced that Saturday, October 25, 2025, is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day . The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina is partnering with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies across the district to provide free and anonymous disposal of unneeded medications at designated collection sites from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. “Something as simple as clearing out a medicine cabinet can save a life,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “We don’t often think about how unused prescription drugs find their way into the wrong hands. National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is an opportunity to protect our loved ones, prevent drug misuse, and keep our communities safe by taking a few minutes to drop off unused, unwanted, or expired medications. We all need to do our part to stem the tide of the prescription drug abuse epidemic and a simple action like clearing out our medicine cabinets can make a big difference.” For more than a decade, DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day has helped Americans easily and safely dispose of medications that are old, unwanted, or no longer needed. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as is the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Prescription medications stored in home cabinets can become highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Take-back events ensure the safe and responsible disposal of unwanted prescription medications. Last year, the DEA collected over 1.3 million pounds (649 tons) of prescription drugs nationwide. Since its inception, the program has removed more than 9,910 tons of medication from circulation. The DEA hopes to surpass that total amount during this October’s take-back event. To find a nearby collection site, visit www.DEATakeBack.com . Beyond Take Back Day, the public can safely dispose of unneeded medications year-round at more than 13,000 pharmacies, hospitals, police departments, and businesses participating in ongoing disposal programs.


title: The Justice Department Announces Agreement with University of Virginia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of Justice announced an agreement with the University of Virginia (“UVA”) that will protect UVA’s students, faculty, and employees from violations of federal civil rights laws, including from discrimination based on race, sex, or national origin. As part of the agreement, the University of Virginia agrees to be bound by the Department of Justice’s “Guidance for Recipients of Federal Funding Regarding Unlawful Discrimination,” ensuring that UVA does not engage in unlawful racial discrimination in its university programming, admissions, hiring, or other activities. UVA will provide relevant information and data to the Department of Justice on a quarterly basis through 2028. The President of UVA will personally certify each quarter that UVA is in compliance with the agreement. The Department will pause its pending investigations into the university’s admissions policies and other civil rights concerns. The United States shall treat UVA as eligible for future grants and awards. If UVA completes its planned reforms prohibiting DEI at the university, the Department will close its investigations against UVA. “This notable agreement with the University of Virginia will protect students and faculty from unlawful discrimination, ensuring that equal opportunity and fairness are restored,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Civil Rights Division. “We appreciate the progress that the university has made in combatting antisemitism and racial bias, and other American universities should be on alert that the Justice Department will ensure that our federal civil rights laws are enforced for every American, without exception.”


title: Drug Take Back Day Sites Available to Tribal Communities

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: BILLINGS — According to a 2023 study by the Montana Office of Public Instruction, 17% of Native American high school students report using a prescription medication without a prescription. DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day can help. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana joins the Drug Enforcement Administration in support of the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, October 25. The biannual event will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at sites across Montana, including Native American reservations. The event is an effort to rid homes of potentially dangerous, expired, and unused prescription drugs. Medicines that languish in homes are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses from these drugs. “It’s imperative that we protect Montana’s youth from opioid misuse and addiction, especially our Native American youth. More than one in six will use an opioid not prescribed to them. We encourage members of our reservation communities to take advantage of Drug Take Back Day by cleaning out their medicine cabinets. It’s a quick and easy way to help make our communities safer,” U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. “Every year, residents in our Division and around the country turn in thousands of pounds of unneeded, unwanted, or expired medications,” said DEA RMFD Special Agent in Charge David Olesky. “This simple action can help prevent prescription drug misuse and reduce the potential for accidental overdoses and poisonings.” Numerous sheriff’s offices, police departments and federal agencies across Montana are participating in Take Back Day. Information about collection sites and more information about the event is available here: https://www.dea.gov/takebackday . Montana also offers year-round collection at many locations, including pharmacies, hospitals, and health centers, which can be found at these two websites: https://dphhs.mt.gov/BHDD/SubstanceAbuse/dropboxlocations , and https://www.dea.gov/everyday-takeback-day . Many of the year-round collection locations are in or near Montana’s reservation communities, including the IHS hospital in Browning, the Rocky Boy Health Center in Box Elder, the Milk River Pharmacy in Harlem, Northeast Montana Health Service in Poplar and Wolf Point, the Bighorn Valley Pharmacy in Hardin, the US Public Health Service in Lodge Grass, the PHS Indian Health Center in Lame Deer, and several locations in Ronan, Polson, and St. Ignatius. During the last Take Back Day held on April 26, 2025, 4,472 law enforcement participants at 4,590 collection sites across the country brought in a total weight of 620,321 pounds, or 310 tons, of drugs. This brings the total weight collected to 19.8 million pounds, or more than 9,910 tons, of prescription drugs collected in the history of the program. Collection results may include materials other than prescription drugs. During the April 2025 event, Montanans turned in 1,229 pounds of prescription drugs at 20 collection sites. Nineteen law enforcement agencies participated. Total all time weight collected in Montana is 59,506 pounds. For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the October 25 Take Back Day event, go to www.DEATakeBack.com .


title: Coeur d’Alene Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIS

body_text: COEUR D’ALENE – Alexander Scott Mercurio, 20, of Coeur d’Alene, pleaded guilty today, to Attempt to Provide Material Support and Resources to a Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced. According to court records, Mercurio pledged his allegiance to ISIS and intended to commit an attack in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, on its behalf. In early 2023, he created an online repository for pro-ISIS content with the purpose of spreading the doctrine of the Islamic State. Although Mercurio desired to travel overseas to support ISIS, he lacked resources. He then made plans to conduct a terrorist attack within the United States. Mercurio planned to target churches in Coeur d’Alene on April 7, 2024, using various weapons. Mercurio purchased items to support his planned attack. Days before the planned attack, Mercurio stood before an ISIS flag holding a knife and pledged his allegiance to ISIS. The FBI arrested him on April 6, 2024, one day before his planned April 7, 2024 attack. Sentencing is set for January 27, 2026, before Chief District Judge David C. Nye. Mercurio faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. U.S. Attorney Bart Davis commended the investigation by the FBI with valuable assistance provided by the Coeur d’Alene Police Department, the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, and the Ada County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather S. Patricco and David G. Robins for the District of Idaho and attorneys from the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, are prosecuting this case. ###


title: Portland Resident Charged with Damaging Federal Property

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging a Portland resident with damaging cameras affixed to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building on June 12, 2025. Alistair Sidener, 20, made an initial appearance in federal court last Friday before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. Sidener was released on conditions pending further court proceedings. Depredation of federal property in an amount exceeding $1,000 is a felony punishable by up to ten years in prison. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon. Since June 13, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged 37 defendants with offenses committed near ICE facilities, including assaulting federal officers, failure to comply, and depredation of government property. An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Stilwell Residents Sentenced For Child Exploitation And Neglect

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Samuel Shane Allgood, age 37, and Shannon Rae Scraper, age 45, both of Stilwell, Oklahoma, were sentenced in federal district court. Allgood was sentenced to 360 months in prison for one count of Sexual Exploitation of a Child/Use of a Child to Produce a Visual Depiction. Scraper was sentenced to 60 months in prison for one count of Child Neglect in Indian Country. The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Adair County Sheriff’s Office. On May 20, 2025, Allgood and Scraper pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, Allgood coerced the victim into engaging in sexually explicit conduct with the purpose of producing a visual depiction of that conduct. Investigators also established that Scraper willfully and maliciously failed to provide the child, who was in her care, with adequate nurturance and affection, supervision, or appropriate caretakers, and failed to protect the child from sexual acts and materials. The crimes occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearings. Allgood and Scraper will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve non-paroleable sentences of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Wittlinger represented the United States.


title: Stilwell Resident Sentenced For Illegally Possessing Ammunition

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Zachary Thomas Carson, a/k/a Zach Thomas Carson, age 36, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 36 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Ammunition. The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the District 27 Drug Task Force, the Stilwell Police Department, and the Adair County Sheriff’s Office. On June 10, 2025, Carson pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on April 21, 2025, law enforcement officers conducting a traffic stop discovered Carson in possession of 255 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition, one round of .22 caliber hornet ammunition, one spent casing, and two rifle magazines containing 40 rounds of ammunition. At the time of the stop, Carson had been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Carson will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.


title: Two Philadelphia Men Sentenced to Decades in Prison for Pizza Shop Arson That Resulted in the Death of PFD Firefighter Lt. Sean Williamson

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Al-Ashraf Khalil, 32, and Isaam Jaghama, 32, both of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were sentenced today by United States District Judge Cynthia M. Rufe for the June 18, 2022, arson fire at a Fairhill pizza shop, which resulted in the death of Philadelphia Fire Department Lieutenant Sean Williamson and injuries to five other first responders inside the building when it collapsed. Khalil was sentenced to 40 years in prison and Jaghama to 25 years in prison. The defendants were also ordered to pay more than $1.2 million in restitution to the city of Philadelphia for medical expenses for the injured first responders and the funeral of Lt. Williamson. Khalil and Jaghama were charged by superseding indictment in August 2023. In November of 2024, a federal jury convicted the defendants on one count each of conspiracy to commit malicious damage by means of fire of a building used in interstate commerce, and one count each of malicious damage by means of fire of a building used in interstate commerce. Khalil was also found guilty of one count of wire fraud and one count of using fire in furtherance of the commission of that wire fraud. Khalil was the owner of the property at 300 West Indiana Avenue, which housed both apartments and the pizza shop. As proven at trial, in the early hours of June 18, 2022, he and Jaghama set a fire inside the building so that Khalil could profit by filing an insurance claim related to the fire. The day of the fire, Khalil signed paperwork authorizing an insurance adjuster to file a more than $400,000 insurance claim on his behalf. “Lt. Williamson lost his life as a result of Khalil and Jaghama’s greed,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “This is a tragedy that didn’t have to happen. Our thoughts today are with the Williamson family and everyone at the Philadelphia Fire Department — while we can never make them whole, we’re gratified that the men responsible for such an indelible loss have now been brought to justice.” “This case is a warning to those who would use fire and endanger lives for personal gain,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Philadelphia Field Office. “ATF is dedicated to investigating and bringing arsonists like Khalil and Jaghama to justice. They now face decades in federal prison for their deadly crime. From our ATF Philadelphia Arson & Explosives Task Force and ATF National Response Team experts to our partners with the Philadelphia Fire and Police Departments, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and more, the resources to prevent and prosecute crimes like this are profound.” “It is difficult to believe that more than three years have passed since we lost Lt. Sean Williamson,” said Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Jeffrey Thompson. “His tragic and senseless death robbed his family of a beloved partner, father, brother and son, and robbed this City of a dedicated, respected and highly skilled firefighter. We are grateful to the law enforcement officers, attorneys, and partner agencies who worked tirelessly to bring those responsible to justice.” This case was investigated by ATF Philadelphia and the ATF’s National Response Team, the Philadelphia Fire Department, the Philadelphia Fire Marshal’s Office, and the Philadelphia Police Department, with significant assistance provided by the Philadelphia Department of Licenses & Inspections. Special thanks are given to the United States Marshals Service for their assistance in the international apprehension of Al-Ashraf Khalil. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Amanda R. Reinitz and Michael Miller. Note: the posting of this press release was delayed, due to the federal government shutdown from October 1, 2025, to November 12, 2025.


title: Philadelphia Tax Preparer Sentenced to a Year and a Day in Prison for Filing False Tax Returns for Clients and Himself

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that James J. Sirleaf, 65, of Darby, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, one year of supervised release, restitution in the amount of $219,622, and an $1,800 special assessment by United States District Judge Paul S. Diamond, for engaging in a multi-year scheme to assist clients with filing false income tax returns to fraudulently increase their refund amounts, and filing false personal income tax returns for himself. In April 2023, Sirleaf was charged by indictment with 15 counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false income tax returns and three counts of filing false personal income tax returns. He pleaded guilty to all charges in May of this year. As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, at the time of the charged conduct, Sirleaf was the sole owner and operator of Metro Financial Services Inc., a tax preparation business in Philadelphia. Sirleaf prepared false and fraudulent Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Forms 1040, or U.S. Individual Tax Returns, for client taxpayers for at least tax years 2016 through 2019. Sirleaf included falsities on the tax returns — including false deductions, fabricated business expenses, and/or false dependent information — resulting in tax calculations lower than what the clients actually owed. In addition, Sirleaf filed false returns for himself for tax years 2017 through 2019, failing to fully report his income, which resulted in an additional tax loss to the IRS. In total, Sirleaf caused a tax loss to the IRS of $219,622. This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eileen Castilla Geiger. Note: the posting of this press release was delayed, due to the federal government shutdown from October 1, 2025, to November 12, 2025.


title: Federal Indictment Charges Charlotte Man For Light Rail Fatal Attack Of Iryna Zarutska

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – On October 22, 2025, a federal grand jury returned a criminal indictment, charging Decarlos Dejuan Brown, Jr., 34, with committing an act of violence causing death on a railroad carrier and mass transportation system, for the fatal attack of Iryna Zarutska on Charlotte’s light rail system, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Brown was initially charged via a federal criminal complaint on September 9, 2025. James C. Barnacle, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement. According to allegations in filed court documents, on August 22, 2025, Brown stabbed Iryna Zarutska on the Lynx Blue Line light rail. Surveillance footage showed the victim entering the light rail car and sitting down in the row in front of Brown. Approximately four minutes later, Brown pulled a knife from his pocket and unfolded it before striking the victim three times from behind, killing her. Following the attack, it is alleged that Brown walked away from the victim. Responding officers located Brown on the light rail platform. Brown is charged with one count of violence against a railroad carrier and mass transportation system resulting in death. If convicted, he faces a maximum statutory sentence of life in prison or death. The indictment includes a Notice of Special Findings which could permit the United States to seek the death penalty. The Justice Department has not yet announced whether it will seek the death penalty. The State also has pending charges against Brown for first degree murder. The FBI is investigating the case with the assistance of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Cervantes and Edward R. Ryan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the case. The charges against Brown are allegations and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Charlotte Man Charged With Fentanyl Trafficking While Armed With An Illegal Firearm

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Charlotte man is facing federal charges for trafficking fentanyl and using illegal firearms in furtherance of his drug distribution activities, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. The indictment charges Vance Deangelo Lewis, 33, of Charlotte, with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm by a felon. The indictment also contains a forfeiture notice that gives notice the defendant must forfeit to the United States 14 firearms and ammunition recovered during the investigation. Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement. According to allegations in the indictment, on or about October 2, 2025, Lewis knowingly and intentionally possessed with the intent to distribute nearly half a kilogram of fentanyl and half a kilogram of methamphetamine. It is further alleged that Lewis, as a felon, illegally possessed one or more firearms, and that he knowingly possessed the firearms in furtherance of the drug trafficking activities. According to court records, Lewis has a prior federal conviction in the Western District of North Carolina for possession of a firearm by a felon and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, cocaine base, and marijuana, for which he served a term of imprisonment. As a result, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. Lewis has appeared in federal court and remains in custody. If convicted, he faces up a statutory minimum penalty of 10 years and up to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The charges against Lewis are allegations and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In making the announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the ATF and CMPD for their investigation of the case and recognized Mecklenburg County District Attorney Spencer Merriweather and his office for their invaluable assistance. The Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. 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: Foreign National Indicted For Stealing Millions From Elderly Victims By Posing As A Federal Agent

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A 23-year-old Indian citizen and resident of Waxhaw, N.C., was indicted by a federal grand jury in Charlotte for his role in a fraud conspiracy to steal millions from elderly victims, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. The criminal indictment was returned on October 22, 2025, and charges Shubh Ketankumar Patel with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and false impersonation of an employee or officer of the United States. Steven Gutierrez, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Charlotte Field Office, and Sheriff Alan Norman of the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement. According to allegations in the bill of indictment, from 2023 to May 2024, Patel and his co-conspirators engaged in a scheme to defraud victims by posing as federal agents or other investigators. Patel and his co-conspirators allegedly targeted mostly elderly victims and tricked them into handing over substantial portions of their financial savings for supposed safekeeping, or to avoid arrest and prosecution on made-up charges. It is alleged that Patel and his co-conspirators regularly targeted older adults across the United States, including in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas. The indictment alleges that one of Patel’s roles in the conspiracy was to collect cash from victims. As such, on multiple occasions during the conspiracy, Patel drove to a victim’s residence purporting to be a federal agent and obtained cash from a victim in a face-to-face transaction. Over the course of the scheme, Patel and his co-conspirators defrauded multiple individuals of more than $2 million. The charges against the defendant are merely allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If convicted, Patel faces up to 20 years in prison for the wire fraud conspiracy offense and three years in prison for impersonating an officer of the United States. A federal district court judge will determine Patel’s ultimate sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. In making the announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the U.S. Secret Service and the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Bozin with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. 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: Asheville Man Admits To Defrauding Customers In Log Cabin Kit Scheme

body_text: ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Jason Nathaniel Speier, 42, of Arden, N.C., pleaded guilty on October 22, 2025, to wire fraud for a scheme to defraud customers who purchased log cabin kits, announced U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson for the Western District of North Carolina. James C. Barnacle, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement. According to court documents filed in connection with the plea, from 2022 through 2023, Speier was the owner and president of K.I. Enterprises, Inc., doing business as “Kabens,” an unlicensed company that claimed to build log cabin homes in Western North Carolina. Court filings indicate that Speier executed a scheme to defraud customers by falsely representing that his business was capable of building European-sourced log cabin kits into turnkey residences. Contrary to those claims, Speier did not have a legitimate source of supply for the purported log cabin kits. As Speier admitted in court, he falsely told customers that he had built many cabins for satisfied customers and that he could provide references and favorable reviews. To solicit new clients, Speier developed an extensive online marketing and social media presence, advertising “complete log cabin home packages” at “affordable prices.” His advertisements also falsely promised “fast construction” and “unlimited customization.” To boost sales, Speier built a sales team and directed them to make numerous sales to customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee. He also falsely claimed that customers’ down payments would be used to purchase log cabin kits and complete construction in a timely manner. According to court filings and facts presented at the plea hearing, Speier continued his fraudulent conduct even after the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors launched an investigation following multiple customer complaints. Despite the investigation, Speier incorporated a new business called “Big Timber Log Homes” and continued soliciting new customers to build turnkey cabins, even though Speier had not successfully completed a single project. Court records indicate that Speier received more than $2.5 million in customer payments and defrauded at least 24 customers during the scheme. Speier was released on bond following his guilty plea. The maximum penalty for wire fraud is 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine Speier’s sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing date has not yet been set. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the FBI, the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office and the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office for their work on this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville is prosecuting the case.


body_text: Manchester Man Indicted for Unlicensed Firearms Dealing and Defrauding His Employer CONCORD – A Manchester man was indicted for dealing firearms without a license and defrauding his employer, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. Patrick Goulet, 34, was charged with four counts of wire fraud and one count of dealing in firearms without a license. According to the indictment, Goulet worked for a New Hampshire-based firearms manufacturer which offered its employees the opportunity to purchase a limited number of firearms and firearms accessories at a large discount. Employees could also gift the discount to a friend or family member. However, the manufacturer prohibited its employees from selling or otherwise using the discount for personal profit. Goulet used social media platforms such as Facebook to locate persons interested in buying discounted firearms. Goulet charged his customers for access to the discounted firearms. Because Goulet quickly used up his own allotted number of discounted purchases, he used the names and company identification numbers of his co-workers to fulfill order requests. Between August 2021 and June 2024 alone, Goulet facilitated the sale of several hundred discounted firearms and firearms accessories. The charging statute for wire fraud provides a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of twice the gross gain or loss. The charging statute for firearms dealing without a license provides a sentence of up to 5 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of $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. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: Bath Man Indicted for Stealing Approximately $225,000 From an Elderly Disabled Veteran CONCORD – A Bath man was indicted for stealing approximately $225,000 from an elderly disabled veteran, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. Donald Estes, 49, was charged with four counts of Bank Fraud and four counts of Mail Fraud. According to the indictment, the victim was disabled and unable to independently manage his money or make decisions. The victim lived at a nursing home and received monthly disability payments from the Department of Veterans Affairs. On July 21, 2020, the victim’s nursing home contacted Estes asking whether he would serve as the victim’s legal guardian. Estes never applied to become the guardian. Instead, Estes had the victim sign an agreement granting Estes access to the victim’s bank account. Over the next few years, Estes took approximately $225,000 from the victim and used the money on personal purchases. The charging statute for bank fraud provides a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. The charging statute for mail fraud provides a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of twice the gross gain or loss. 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. The Department of Veterans Affairs’ Office of the Inspector General and U.S. Postal Inspection Service led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Federal grand jury indicts prior felon on gun charge

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Paul Kozlyuk, 39, of Brockport, NY, with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment and a previously complaint, Kozlyuk is president and owner of Ameritrans Group Inc. in Brockport, NY, a for-hire interstate motor carrier. In February 2024, the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, Monroe County Sherrif’s Office, and Internal Revenue Service, began investigating Kozlyuk and Ameritrans for violations of federal tax laws, the transportation of stolen goods across state lines, and fraud involving the DOT. On September 10, 2025, a search warrant was executed at Kozlyuk’s home and Ameritrans’ offices in Brockport. Investigators recovered eight firearms, to include seven rifles and a pistol, and ammunition. In November 2018, Kozlyuk was sentenced to serve 27 months in prison after being convicted of defrauding several small businesses in connection with his former business, the Marketview Heights Garage. As a result, Kozlyuk is prohibited from possessing firearms. Kozlyuk was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark W. Pedersen and is being held without bail. The indictment is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Harry Chavis, and the United States Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, under the direction Special Agent in Charge, Brian Gallagher, Northeast Region. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Coweta Resident Sentenced For Possessing Child Sexual Exploitation Material

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Cody Michael DeGraw, age 30, of Coweta, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 87 months in prison for one count of Possession of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. The charge arose from an investigation by the Homeland Security Investigations. On July 10, 2025, DeGraw pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, beginning on December 30, 2023, and continuing until February 27, 2025, DeGraw accessed for viewing and possessed material containing visual depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including depictions portraying images of prepubescent minors, infants, and toddlers. In total, investigators recovered 161 images from DeGraw’s cellular telephones. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . We encourage anyone who suspects or has information regarding child sexual exploitation, trafficking of minors, sextortion, child pornography, or any other means of child exploitation to immediately contact law enforcement. You can file a report on the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)'s website at www.cybertipline.com , call 1-800-843-5678, contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), or call 877-4-HSI TIP. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. DeGraw will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Morgan Muzljakovich and Nicole Paladino represented the United States.


title: Providence Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Multi-Million-Dollar Catalytic Converter Theft Scheme

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A Providence man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Rhode Island for participating in a conspiracy to steal and sell hundreds of dollars’ worth of stolen catalytic converters, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. Luis Aceituno, 27, pleaded guilty today to charges of interstate transportation of stolen property and filing false tax returns. He will be sentenced on January 22, 2026. The sentences imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. According to charging documents, in January 2022, the Cranston Police Department began tracking patterns surrounding the thefts of catalytic converters. A criminal group was later identified as allegedly being responsible for more than 7,000 stolen catalytic converters in Southern New England and in the greater Boston area, valued at more than $2.4 million. Charging documents reflect that from at least January 2021 until November 2022, Aceituno and other defendants, Kuron Mitchell, 25, and Alberto Rivera, 25, canvassed neighborhoods and parking lots in Rhode Island and Massachusetts in search of unoccupied vehicles from which they could steal catalytic converters. It is alleged that many of the stolen catalytic converters were sold to a Providence company (identified in court documents as Company 1) that recycles catalytic converters. Depending on the model and type of precious metal component, the average scrap price for catalytic converters ranged from $300 to $1,500. An FBI analysis of Company 1’s databases seized during a court-authorized search of the business in February 2023, and a review of a database maintained by Rhode Island Attorney General Bureau of Criminal Identification, revealed that from 2021 to 2022, Aceituno allegedly sold 2128 catalytic converters to Company 1 and received $699,735. In addition to his participation in the conspiracy to steal and sell catalytic converters, it is further alleged that Luis Aceituno failed to disclose to the IRS income derived from the sale of catalytic converters in tax years 2021 and 2022. It is alleged that for tax years 2021 and 2022, Aceituno failed to report a total of $699,735 in income and failed to pay a total of $199,908 due to the IRS. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Paul F. Daly, Jr., and Julie M. White. The matter was investigated by the FBI, Cranston Police Department, Providence Police Department, IRS-Criminal Investigations, United States Marshal Service, National Insurance Crime Bureau, Newport Police Department, Fitchburg State University Police, Watertown Police Department, Canton Police Department, Attleboro Police Department, Fall River Police Department, and Department of Veterans Affairs- Office of Inspector General-Criminal Investigations Division.


title: Recidivist Sex Offender Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child Pornography

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland, Oregon, man, who is a registered sex offender, was sentenced to federal prison today for possession of over 200 images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). David Lee Cannon, 36, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison and a life term of supervised release. According to court documents, in February 2024, law enforcement officials discovered Cannon was collecting CSAM images during an investigation into Cannon’s uncle. Cannon sought images from his uncle over Telegram, an encrypted messaging application. Additional evidence of CSAM material was found after a search of Cannon’s devices. Cannon is a registered sex offender after a 2009 conviction for possessing CSAM material. “The pursuit of individuals who exploit and abuse children is our highest priority,” said Scott E. Bradford, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “With today’s sentence, Mr. Cannon will spend the next 10 years behind bars, unable to victimize any other children.” “HSI leverages advanced technology and every resource within its legal authority to identify, investigate, and bring to justice those who possess child exploitation and sexual abuse material,” said April Miller, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Seattle acting Special Agent in Charge. “Our unwavering commitment is to protect the most vulnerable and ensure that those who prey on children are held accountable.” Cannon was arrested in Milwaukie, Oregon, after HSI agents tracked his cellphone. Cannon was charged by information on April 28, 2025. On June 26, 2025, Cannon pleaded guilty to Possession of Child Pornography. This case was investigated by HSI with assistance from Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mira Chernick and Paul Maloney. Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org . This case was brought in collaboration with 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 www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Portland Woman Charged with Assaulting Federal Law Enforcement Officer Near Local ICE Office

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland woman made her first appearance in federal court yesterday after allegedly assaulting a federal officer near a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in South Portland. Elizabeth Leslie, 32, has been charged by criminal complaint with the felony offense of assaulting a federal officer. According to court documents, on October 18, 2025, federal officers arrested Leslie after she lunged forward and struck an officer in the chest when officers were trying to clear a path for vehicles exiting the ICE facility. Since June 13, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office has charged 35 defendants with federal crimes for offenses committed at the ICE building, including assaulting federal officers, failure to comply, and depredation of government property. Leslie made her first appearance in federal court yesterday before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. She was released on conditions pending further court proceedings. Felony assault of a federal officer is punishable by up to eight years in federal prison. A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Government Employee Arrested for Unlawful Retention of National Defense Information

body_text: Ashley Tellis, 64, a U.S. citizen residing in Vienna, Virginia, was arrested on Oct. 11 in connection with his alleged unlawful retention of classified national defense information. Tellis appeared today in the Eastern District of Virginia for a detention hearing. “Safeguarding our country’s national defense information is a top priority,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Sue J. Bai of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “For those entrusted with our country’s most sensitive information, protecting it is a privilege and solemn responsibility. With the hard work and dedication of our prosecutors and agents, we will hold this defendant accountable for breaching that trust and exploiting his security clearance to unlawfully retain classified information detailing our military capabilities.” “The FBI arrested Ashley Tellis, a senior advisor at the Department of State and a contractor within the Department of Defense, for allegedly removing over a thousand pages of classified national defense information from government facilities and storing them in his home,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “This arrest should serve as a stark warning to anyone thinking about undermining national security. The FBI and our partners will do everything within our power to find you and hold you accountable.” “We are fully focused on protecting the American people from all threats, foreign and domestic. The charges as alleged in this case represent a grave risk to the safety and security of our citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Halligan for the Eastern District of Virginia. “The facts and the law in this case are clear, and we will continue following them to ensure that justice is served.” “U.S. government security clearance holders are entrusted to keep our nation’s most sensitive secrets safe,” said Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the FBI Washington Field Office. “By allegedly removing classified documents from government facilities and storing them in his basement, Mr. Tellis betrayed that trust. The FBI and our federal partners acted quickly to execute a court-authorized search warrant and arrest Tellis to protect our national security and prevent highly classified defense information from falling into the wrong hands.” According to court documents, Tellis held a Top Secret security clearance with Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) access. He has worked for the U.S. Department of State since 2001 and currently serves in addition as a contractor for the Department of Defense’s Office of Net Assessment. He also serves as a Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. As alleged, Tellis accessed classified documents on multiple occasions from secured facilities, including a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) at the Department of Defense and a secure computer system at the Department of State. In one instance, Tellis altered the filename of a classified document, printed portions of it under the altered title, and then deleted the re-named file. In another incident, he was observed placing classified materials into a notepad and concealing them within his personal briefcase before leaving a secured government facility. During a court-authorized search of Tellis’s residence, investigators recovered over 1,000 pages of documents with classification markings, including materials labeled SECRET and/or TOP SECRET. These documents were found in locked filing cabinets, in a basement home office, and in trash bags stored in a basement utility area. The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating the case, with valuable assistance from the Air Force Office of Special Investigations and the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Schlessinger for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Leslie Esbrook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: D. Michael Dunavant Sworn in to Serve Again as the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: D. Michael Dunavant Memphis, TN – Michael Dunavant was sworn in on October 10, 2025, as the United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee. In a brief ceremony, U.S. District Judge Mark S. Norris administered the oath of office at the Odell Horton Federal Building in Memphis. Dunavant was nominated by President Donald J. Trump on June 30, 2025, and was confirmed by the United States Senate on October 7, 2025. Dunavant is currently serving for the second time as the Presidentially Appointed, Senate Confirmed United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee. In that role, he is the 50th and 54th person to serve as the chief federal prosecutor and legal representative of the United States for the 22 counties and approximately 1.6 million citizens of West Tennessee. Mr. Dunavant is the first person to serve the district twice as the Presidential appointee, having previously served as U.S. Attorney from 2017–2021 during the first Trump administration. “I want to thank President Trump for nominating and appointing me serve in this important role again, and I am appreciative of Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty for their strong support during the confirmation process. Because I have previously served in this role, I am fully prepared to immediately carry out the priorities of the Department of Justice in West Tennessee and to faithfully execute and enforce the laws of Congress. Together with the dedicated professionals in the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners, we will make Memphis and West Tennessee safe again by pursuing justice for victims, imposing consequences for criminals, upholding and promoting respect for the rule of law, supporting law enforcement, protecting the United States Treasury, and delivering better public safety outcomes for our citizens. I am glad to be back and ready to get to work.” In addition to his service as the U.S. Attorney, Mr. Dunavant has served as the Deputy Executive Director of Legal Services & Policy for the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference from 2023-2025; the Chief Investigative Counsel for the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury Division of Investigations from 2021-2023; and the elected District Attorney General for the 25th Judicial District of Tennessee, where he served as the chief state criminal prosecutor for Lauderdale, Tipton, Fayette, Hardeman, and McNairy counties in West Tennessee from 2006-2017. Prior to his service as District Attorney, Mr. Dunavant was a partner in the law firm of Carney, Wilder & Dunavant in Ripley, Tennessee. A native of Ripley, Mr. Dunavant holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and a Doctor of Jurisprudence Degree with honors from the University of Mississippi at Oxford. He has been practicing law in Tennessee since 1995.