title: Jury Convicts Omaha Man of Possessing Firearms in Furtherance of Fentanyl Dealing

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that on August 28, 2025, a federal jury returned a guilty verdict against Jeron Morris, 33, of Omaha, Nebraska, for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The verdict followed a two-day trial in front of United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher. Before trial, Morris pleaded guilty to three other charges – conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Judge Buescher scheduled sentencing for December 3, 2025. Morris faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 35 years in prison and a maximum of life imprisonment. Evidence at trial established that a Federal Bureau of Investigation task force identified a residence in Omaha that was suspected of being a stash location for drugs, including fentanyl pills. During the investigation, Morris was identified as living in the residence. On May 17, 2024, investigators executed a search warrant at the residence. In an upstairs bedroom, they found two loaded Canik 9mm handguns and more than $1,000 in cash on a bed. The items had been dumped out of a drawer of a bedside chest of drawers. In a closet of that bedroom, investigators recovered a heat-sealed package of approximately 993 fentanyl pills. Morris was arrested during a traffic stop nearby and found to have a baggie containing another 87 fentanyl pills. During a post-Miranda interview, Morris admitted the drugs and guns were his, describing the guns by caliber, color, and attachments. Morris faces enhanced statutory penalties because of prior convictions for Bank Robbery and Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence. Co-defendant Kadonta Muldrew, 31, of Omaha pleaded guilty to three charges – conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl pills, possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl pills, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Muldrew faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life imprisonment. Muldrew’s sentencing is scheduled for November 19, 2025. As part of the investigation, more than $135,000 in cash was seized. That money will be forfeited to the United States as proceeds of drug dealing. Omaha FBI Field Office Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel said, “FBI Omaha and our partners are laser-focused on crushing violent crime and stopping the flow of drugs into our communities. The guilty verdict of Jeron Morris is a testament to our shared mission of safeguarding our neighborhoods and ensuring people’s right to live without the threat of violence. In this case, Morris was previously sentenced for brandishing a firearm during a bank robbery. He resumed his criminal activities within months of his release from federal prison. FBI Omaha will continue to surge resources as part of Operation Summer Heat, a nationwide initiative to address violent crime in our country.” This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Omaha Police Department with assistance from the Council Bluffs Police Department, Bellevue Police Department, Papillion Police Department, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, the Nebraska State Patrol, and the Iowa State Patrol. A sergeant from the Lincoln Police Department testified at trial as an expert in drug trafficking. This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.


title: Manderson Man Found Not Guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a man from Manderson, South Dakota, was acquitted of Involuntary Manslaughter following a federal jury trial in Rapid City, South Dakota, on August 28, 2025. Matocika Poor Bear, age 20, was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2025. The indictment charged that on November 16, 2024, the defendant assaulted a man after an unknown dispute at a residence in Manderson, SD. The male sustained an injury and later passed away. The investigation was conducted by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the FBI. The U.S. Attorney's Office prosecuted the case.


title: Margate Man Targeted Jewish and Black Americans Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Firearm Offenses

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – A Margate man was sentenced yesterday to 25 years in federal prison for a series of firearm offenses and for amassing weapons, tactical gear, and attack plans targeting Jewish and Black Americans. U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith sentenced John Kevin Lapinski, Jr., 41, to 300 months in prison. Lapinski previously pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm as a convicted felon, possession of a firearm by a person subject to a court order, possession of an unregistered silencer, and possession of body armor by a violent felon. On October 31, 2024, Margate Police responded to a call of shots fired in a residential neighborhood. Officers determined Lapinski—legally barred from possessing firearms—was the shooter. Inside his residence, officers observed a shooting target depicting a Black male riddled with bullet holes. A subsequent search uncovered an arsenal: five firearms, more than 3,000 rounds of ammunition, firearm parts and accessories, two silencers, body armor, smoke grenades, a Ghillie suit, and tactical gear. Officers also found maps of local schools, parks, and other community sites scrawled with racial slurs targeting Black and Jewish people, as well as a a “target list” naming “groups to attack” based on race and religion. The list included a Jewish member of Congress, local synagogues, Jewish-owned businesses, and other religious and ethnically identified sites. Investigators further linked Lapinski to an August 2024 shooting in which the home and vehicle of a Jewish resident were riddled with bullets. “This defendant stockpiled weapons, tactical gear, and detailed attack plans to terrorize Jewish and Black Americans in our communities. His intent was not abstract—it was written on his maps, his targets, and his so-called hit list. Thanks to the swift work of our law enforcement partners, his plan never became reality. Instead of carrying out acts of racist violence, he will spend the next quarter-century behind bars. Let this sentence serve as a warning: hate-fueled violence will be met with decisive federal prosecution. We will disrupt your plans, seize your weapons, and ensure you never endanger the people of this District again.” - U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones. U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office; Acting Special Agent in Charge Gordon Mallory of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division; and Chief Jonathan Shaw of the Margate Police Department announced the sentence. The ATF, FBI, and Margate Police Department investigated the case.Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Anton prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 24-cr-60224. You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl . ###


title: Individual Indicted and Arrested for Production and Possession of Child Exploitation Material

component: USAO - Puerto Rico

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On August 28, 2025, A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned a three count indictment charging Felix Ebdiel Muñiz-Rivera, age 20, of Camuy, PR, for production and possession of child exploitation material. HSI special agents arrested Muñiz- Rivera yesterday, August 29, 2025. According to court documents, from June 2025, through on or about August 2025, Felix Ebdiel Muñiz- Rivera, did knowingly employ, use, persuade, induce, entice, and coerce two five year old female minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing any visual depiction of such conduct, and the visual depiction was produced and transmitted using materials that have been mailed, shipped, and transported in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce, that is, a cellular phone device. From June 2025, through on or about August 2025, the defendant possessed images of child pornography. Felix Ebdiel Muñiz- Rivera is facing two counts of production of child exploitation material and one count for possession of child exploitation material. The defendant had his initial court appearance on August 29, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Giselle López-Soler of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. The detention/bail hearing is scheduled for September 4, 2025, at 11:00 AM. If convicted for the charges of sexual exploitation of children the defendant faces no less than 15 years up to 30 years in prison; and for possession of child exploitation material, he faces up to 10 years in prison; all counts followed by a term of supervised release of no less than 5 years up to life. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. "We remain committed to identifying and pursuing individuals involved in child exploitation and will ensure they face justice for their criminal actions," stated W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. "The U.S. Attorney’s Office will relentlessly work to safeguard those most at risk by vigorously prosecuting anyone who targets our children." "The production of Child Pornography is considered a violent crime because of its severity and the impact of these acts to the victims.” stated Rebecca C. González-Ramos, Special Agent in Charge from the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands. “HSI has a strong commitment with our children, to protect them, but most importantly to give them the right tools to avoid and report these crimes. We need the community to join us in this fight, let’s protect our children together. Make a pledge to protect our minors at Know2Protect.gov ” Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elba Gorbea of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit prosecuted the case. For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit https://www.ice.gov/about-ice/hsi/iguardian ; and to denounce suspicious activities call 787-729-6969. 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: Leader Of Transnational Criminal Organization Extradited From Jamaica Pleads Guilty To Conspiracy To Smuggle Firearms To Trinidad And Tobago

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Shem Wayne Alexander (35, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to smuggle firearms from the United States to Trinidad and Tobago. Alexander faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. Alexander was arrested in Jamaica on November 15, 2024, pursuant to a U.S. provisional arrest request. He was extradited to the United States on December 20, 2024. According to the plea agreement, Alexander, a national of Trinidad and Tobago, and his co-conspirators unlawfully exported firearms, firearms components (including upper/lower receivers and gun parts kits), and related items from Florida to Trinidad and Tobago between April 2019 and April 2022. On April 21, 2021, members of the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service and Customs and Excise Division at the Piarco International Airport in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago seized a shipment containing two punching bags. Alexander and his co-conspirators had sent the shipment from the United States to Trinidad and Tobago describing the contents of said shipment as “household items.” In reality, concealed within the two punching bags were approximately eleven 9mm pistols, two .38 caliber special revolvers, a 12 gauge semi-automatic shotgun, three AR-15 barrel foregrips, 19 lower pistol grip assemblies, 11 forearm bolt assemblies, three AR-15-style barrels with forearm grips, 32 AR-15 magazines, one AR-15 drum magazine, 470 rounds of AR-15 ammunition, 34 9mm magazines, three 9mm drum magazines, 284 9mm rounds, fifteen .38 caliber rounds, 36 shells, six magazine couplers, and two shotgun chokes. Alexander and his co-conspirators arranged this shipment without written notice to the shipper as to the contents of the shipment. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, including HSI’s Legal Attaché for the Caribbean, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance provided by the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (Transnational Organized Crime Unit and Special Investigations Unit), United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and United States Customs and Border Protection. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the Jamaica Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, and the Jamaica Constabulary Force provided critical support in the extradition of Alexander. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Adam W. McCall. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious transnational criminal organizations. (X-ray photo of one of the punching bags showing the firearms and firearm components concealed inside) (One of the punching bags cut open with a firearm visible and protruding) (Trinidad and Tobago Police Service opening a punching bag and revealing the hidden firearms components) (Concealed firearms, firearms components, and ammunition retrieved from the punching bags)


title: Former Manager of Illinois Mine Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Defraud Mine Safety and Health Administration Regarding Underground Fire

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: Timothy Brandon Parsons, 38, of Louisa, Kentucky, entered a guilty plea yesterday to conspiring to defraud the U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) in relation to an underground fire that occurred in the MC#1 Mine in Franklin County, Illinois, in August 2021. According to court documents, on Aug. 12, 2021, Parsons was the Mine Manager at the MC#1 Mine when an underground fire was ignited by a cutting torch used to cut collapsed steel beams. When the fire could not be extinguished within 10 minutes, rather than implementing the approved Mine Emergency Evacuation and Firefighting Plan, Parsons and conspirators agreed that they would not evacuate miners or notify MSHA. Gas detectors carried by miners alarmed for the presence of more than 10 parts per million of carbon monoxide, yet the mine continued to mine coal during ad hoc firefighting efforts over the course of three shifts from Aug. 12 to 13. On Aug. 13, Parsons tried to conceal the existence of the fire from those not already aware of it by evacuating the mine on the false pretense that a belt used to carry coal from underground to the surface was broken. Later that morning, MSHA received an anonymous tip about the fire and then later ordered that the mine be evacuated after inspectors confirmed the existence of the fire. Despite the evacuation order, over the next several days, conspirators re-entered the mine on two occasions without MSHA’s permission to assess the fire and manipulate the conditions underground so that MSHA would allow mining to resume. Members of the conspiracy did not wear tracking devices designed to track the underground location of miners and made false entries in mine records. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 18. Parsons faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine up to $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft for the Southern District of Illinois, Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division, and Special Agent in Charge Christopher J. S. Johnson of the FBI’s Springfield Field Office made the announcement. The Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and FBI investigated the case. Senior Trial Attorney Matthew T. Morris of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin F. Burke for the Southern District of Illinois are prosecuting the case.


title: Ecuadorian National Admits to Illegally Re-entering the United States

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE – An Ecuadorian national deported from the United States in 2008 has pleaded guilty in federal court in Rhode Island to a charge of illegal re-entry, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. Manuel Yochuzga-Yopangue, a/k/a Manuel Yupangui, 34, most recently came to the attention of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) through an automated biometric fingerprint match of fingerprints entered into the National Crime Information Center following his arrest in Rhode Island in May 2025 on state child molestation charges. Immigration files reflect that Yochuzga-Yopangue was removed from the United States in August 2008. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 28, 2025. The sentence imposed in this matter will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr. The matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 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). A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty ###


title: ARMED DRUG TRAFFICKER PLEADS GUILTY TO POSSESSING AND DISTRIBUTING FENTANYL IN PENSACOLA

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

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Corderrius Terrelle McShane, 38, of Pensacola, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to distribution of more than 40 grams of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I applaud the excellent work of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and our federal ATF and DEA agents to make our community safer by getting this dangerous individual off the streets. My office remains fully committed to fulfilling the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America by targeting drug traffickers like this defendant with the full force of the law.” Court documents showed McShane distributed 55.6 grams of fentanyl in November of 2024. Also, that same month, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle McShane was driving, during which officers located over 230 grams of fentanyl and a loaded firearm. McShane has prior felony convictions for Possession of a Weapon or Ammunition by a Convicted Felon, Resisting Law Enforcement with Violence, Possession of Cocaine, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. McShane faces up to life imprisonment, and a lifetime of supervision upon release. The case involved a joint investigation by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton. Sentencing is scheduled for December 4, 2025, at 10:00am at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Four Hawaii Individuals Convicted of Tax Refund Fraud Scheme

component: Tax Division

body_text: A federal jury convicted four individuals from Hawaii this week for their roles in a tax refund fraud scheme. The following is according to court documents and evidence presented at trial: from at least January 2015 through September 2018, Rosemarie Lastimado-Dradi, Marciaminajuanequita Dumlao, Elvah Miranda, and Daniel Miranda conspired to defraud the United States. As part of their scheme, the conspirators filed fraudulent individual tax returns and other tax documents that reported false withholdings from mortgage lenders and then claimed substantial refunds from the IRS. After processing the false returns, the IRS issued refunds totaling over $1 million. To prevent the IRS from recovering the fraudulently obtained refunds, the conspirators created trusts, opened new bank accounts in the names of business entities and the trusts, and transferred the proceeds between the accounts to conceal them from the government. In addition, Lastimado-Dradi, Dumlao, and Elvah Miranda laundered the fraudulently obtained refunds through a series of bank transactions. Dumlao and Daniel Miranda also each filed for bankruptcy and made false statements under oath in relation to their respective bankruptcy proceedings. All the defendants were found guilty of conspiracy to defraud the United States. In addition, the jury found Lastimado-Dradi, Dumlao, and Elvah Miranda guilty of money laundering. Daniel Miranda and Dumlao were found guilty of making false statements under oath in a bankruptcy proceeding. Finally, Elvah Miranda was also found guilty of filing a false tax return and Lastimado-Dradi was found guilty of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns. Dumlao was acquitted of filing a false tax return and four money laundering counts. Daniel Miranda was acquitted on one count of filing a false return. Dradi and Dumlao are scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 26. Elvah Miranda and Daniel Miranda are scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 27. They all face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States. Lastimado-Dradi, Dumlao, and Elvah Miranda each face a maximum penalty of ten years in prison for each count of money laundering. Elvah Miranda faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for filing a false tax return. Daniel Miranda and Dumlao each face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count of making false statements under oath in a bankruptcy proceeding. Lastimado-Dradi faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Sarah A. Kiewlicz and Meredith Havekost of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregg Paris Yates for the District of Hawaii are prosecuting the case.


title: Illinois Woman Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison

body_text: SOUTH BEND – Yesterday, Daneen Bilodeau, 50 years old, of Rockford, Illinois, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to wire fraud and bank fraud, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor. Bilodeau was sentenced to 21 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release and ordered to pay $426,611.53 in restitution to the victim of the offense. According to documents in the case, between October 2015 through August 2019, Bilodeau devised a scheme to defraud and obtain money from her employer. She embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars by withdrawing cash from the company account and making personal purchases on a company card. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Elkhart Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jerome W. McKeever.


title: Lake County Woman Pleads Guilty To Making False Statements And Smuggling Drugs Into Federal Prison

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Michelle Nicole Marie Brannon (36, Lake County) has pleaded guilty to one count of making a materially false statement or representation to a federal agency and one count of providing contraband to a federal prisoner. She faces a maximum of five years in federal prison on each of the offenses. A sentencing date has not yet been set. According to the court records, on April 27, 2025, Brannon visited her brother, an inmate at the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex in Sumter County. As Brannon was being screened before the visitation, she made a materially false representation to a correctional officer that she did not have any narcotics in her possession. Subsequently, she was caught providing her brother with buprenorphine, a Schedule III controlled substance. Federal inmates are prohibited from possessing controlled substances in the prison facility. This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.


title: Former U.S. Postal Inspector Charged with Stealing Over $330,000 in Cash from Elderly Victims

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A former U.S. Postal Inspector was arrested and charged today for allegedly stealing over $330,000 in cash from packages mailed by elderly victims and then laundering the cash and failing to report it to the Internal Revenue Service. The defendant allegedly used the stolen cash to pay for a pool patio and lighting, granite countertop for his outdoor bar, Caribbean cruise expenses and escorts. He also is alleged to have stolen cash from an evidence locker and then blamed a direct report for the missing cash. Scott Kelley, 51, of Pembroke, Mass. was charged in a 45-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Boston. Specifically, Kelley was indicted on five counts of wire fraud; five counts of mail fraud; five counts of mail theft by a postal officer; one count of theft of government money; 23 counts of money laundering; one count of structuring to evade reporting requirements; and five counts of filing false tax returns. Kelley is expected to make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston this afternoon. Kelley was a Postal Inspector at the Boston Division headquarters of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the law enforcement arm of the Postal Service. From 2015 until June 2022, he was the Team Leader of the Mail Fraud Unit, which, among other things, investigated lottery and other scams that targeted senior citizens and other vulnerable populations. In June 2022, Kelley was transferred to serve as the Team Leader of the Mail Theft Unit, a position he held until August 2023. According to the indictment, USPIS ran a nationwide crime-prevention program, Jamaican Operations Linked to Telemarketing (JOLT), to disrupt mail fraud scams originating in Jamaica that targeted U.S. residents with false promises of sweepstakes or lottery winnings. Posing as lottery representatives, scammers contacted elderly persons and other vulnerable victims and persuaded them to mail funds to pay “fees” or “taxes” that they supposedly needed to front before they could collect their prize. Postal Inspectors working on the JOLT program were authorized to intercept packages suspected to have been sent by scam victims. However, they were authorized to open a package only with the sender’s consent, otherwise they were required to mail the package back to the sender. If a sender consented to USPIS opening the package and the package contained cash, the Inspector was required to count the cash with another Inspector present as a witness and then have the cash converted into an official check payable to the sender. According to the indictment, between January 2019 and Aug. 11, 2023, Kelley used deceptive emails to cause unwitting postal employees to intercept packages that a USPIS algorithm had flagged as likely having been mailed by JOLT scam victims and send them to him. In total, Kelley allegedly requested that approximately 1,950 packages be intercepted and mailed to him. It is alleged that Kelley opened intercepted parcels that looked or felt like they might contain cash, and that he stole any cash inside. The indictment identifies seven victims who were scammed into mailing cash in parcels that Kelley allegedly intercepted, and that he opened the parcels and stole the cash. The average age of the victims was 75, with the oldest victim being 82. The victims mailed between $1,400 and $19,100 cash. It is alleged that Kelley met with one victim in person and told them that that he did not know what had happened with their package and that their loss was their own fault because they had mailed cash. None of the victims recovered their packages or their cash. It is further alleged that Kelley used a postal employee’s keypad code to unlock and enter an evidence vault at USPIS. Once inside, Kelley allegedly used another Postal Inspector’s key to open an evidence locker and steal $7,000 in cash. It is alleged that Kelley wrote a memo blaming the other Postal Inspector for the missing $7,000, which resulted in a USPS Office of Inspector General investigation. It is alleged that Kelley lied to investigators when questioned about the stolen cash, and that he placed the blame on the other Postal Inspector – who was one of his direct reports. Kelley allegedly deposited and spent almost $340,000 cash – and did so in ways designed to hide the fact that he had stolen it. Specifically, he allegedly used almost $160,000 of the stolen cash to buy postal money orders, most of which he deposited into his own bank accounts or used to pay credit card bills. On more than 20 of those money orders, Kelley tried to hide the fact that he was both the payee and the purchaser by falsely listing certain relatives as the purchasers. He deposited over $130,000 of the stolen cash into his bank accounts but tried to avoid bank suspicion by spreading the deposits over 60 dates using four different bank accounts at two separate banks. It is further alleged that Kelley also used some of the stolen cash to pay for goods and services including: • $20,500 for the installation of a patio around his pool: • $2,000 to have his pool heated; • $2,800 to have a granite countertop installed on his outdoor bar: • $4,888 to have lights installed around his pool and outdoor bar; • $4,300 for bar drinks and other expenses incurred during three Caribbean cruises; and • $15,400 for sexual services provided by two escorts with whom he texted using a burner phone and whom he met during workdays. Members of the public who believe they may be victims of this case or other elder fraud scams should contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov. Suspected mail fraud can also be reported to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service online or by calling (877) 876-2455. The charges of wire fraud each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of mail fraud each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of mail theft by a postal officer each provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of theft of government money provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of money laundering each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $500,000, or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater. The charge of structuring provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of false tax returns each provide for a sentence of up to three years in prison, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $100,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael Ray, Special Agent in Charge, Office of Professional Responsibility, Technical and Sensitive Operations Field Office, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General; and Tom Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Wichers and Dustin Chao of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit are prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


title: CONVICTED FELON CHARGED IN FEDERAL INDICTMENT FOR POSSESSION OF NARCOTICS AND FIREARMS

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Jujuan George, 33, of Pensacola, was indicted by a federal grand jury charging him with distribution of fentanyl and cocaine, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges today. George was arraigned in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Hope Thai Cannon on August 28, 2025. Trial is scheduled for October 6, 2025 before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers in Pensacola, Florida. If convicted, George faces up to life imprisonment. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Highway Patrol are investigating the case. Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Saginaw Man Sentenced to Federal  Prison For Possessing a Firearm as a Convicted Felon

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: BAY CITY — Turan West, 30, of Saginaw was sentenced yesterday to 162 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. announced. Gorgon Jr. was joined in the announcement by James Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF). U.S. District Court Judge Thomas L. Ludington imposed sentence on West following his guilty plea for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, in August of 2024, Michigan State Police Troopers stopped a car in the city of Saginaw and West was seated in the passenger seat. When the troopers asked the driver out of the car, West got into the driver’s seat and drove the vehicle while the troopers reached into the vehicle to stop him. West crashed the car into an ambulance that pulled over to help. West had a handgun inside the car, despite multiple prior felony convictions. This investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, after being adopted from the Michigan State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William Orr.


title: Departments of Justice and Homeland Security Partnering on Cross-Agency Trade Fraud Task Force

component: Civil Division

body_text: Today, the Department of Justice launched a cross-agency Trade Fraud Task Force to bring robust enforcement against importers and other parties who seek to defraud the United States. The Task Force will augment the existing coordination mechanisms within the Department of Justice and leverage expertise from both the Civil and Criminal Divisions, as well as the Department of Homeland Security, to aggressively pursue enforcement actions against any parties who seek to evade tariffs and other duties, as well as smugglers who seek to import prohibited goods into the American economy. This Administration is fully committed to holding parties accountable for their attempts to undermine honest American competitors. On Inauguration Day, President Trump issued the “ America First Trade Policy ,” which “promotes investment and productivity, enhances our Nation’s industrial and technological advantages, defends our economic and national security, and — above all — benefits American workers, manufacturers, farmers, ranchers, entrepreneurs, and businesses.” A critical part of the policy is ensuring compliance with trade laws, including the payment of all applicable tariffs and duties, such as antidumping and countervailing duties and Section 301 tariffs intended to level the playing field for U.S. manufacturers. This Task Force will advance the America First Trade Policy by pursuing those who violate customs laws through duty and penalty collection actions under the Tariff Act of 1930, actions under the False Claims Act, and, wherever appropriate, parallel criminal prosecutions, penalties, and seizures under Title 18’s trade fraud and conspiracy provisions. “The President’s America First Trade Policy supports American manufacturing by ending unfair trade practices,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Civil Division will coordinate with law enforcement partners to bring to justice any parties attempting to harm American workers through evasion of tariffs and other duties.” Trade fraud not only deprives the government of vital revenue used to reinvest in America, but also threatens critical domestic industries, undermines consumer confidence, and weakens national security. Fraudsters seeking to destabilize and profit off of American markets increasingly are attempting to import below-market, industry-destabilizing goods without paying lawful tariffs and duties or by smuggling prohibited items that violate intellectual property rights of American companies or are otherwise illegal. These fraudsters have harmed American manufacturers and contributed to the loss of American jobs, often with financial backing from America’s adversaries who benefit from the fraud. “For years, nefarious importers and their co-conspirators have put law-abiding businesses in the United States at a competitive disadvantage — and cheated the American public of funds — by brazenly committing trade fraud,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division. “Trade fraud is not a victimless crime, and it won’t be tolerated. The Criminal Division, led by the Fraud Section, is committed to using every available tool to hold bad actors accountable and prevent the theft of money intended to reduce the deficit and fund government programs.” “The Civil Fraud and National Courts Sections of the Commercial Litigation Branch are integral to enforcement efforts aimed at identifying and stopping trade fraud,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brenna Jenny of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Since March of this year, the Commercial Litigation Branch has reached civil settlements to resolve allegations of improperly evaded customs duties across a wide range of products, including multi-layered wood flooring , plastic resin , extruded aluminum products , and quartz surface products . We look forward to enhanced coordination and information sharing with our law enforcement colleagues, and we welcome the vital contributions of whistleblowers who can help identify fraud schemes involving an array of imported products.” Consistent with Executive Order 14243 aimed at “enhancing the Government’s ability to detect overpayments and fraud[,]” the Trade Fraud Task Force will work closely with its law enforcement partners at the Department of Homeland Security, specifically U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations, to identify and combat trade fraud that threatens our economic and national security interests. These enhanced cooperative efforts will serve the dual purposes of a more efficient government for the taxpayer and improved enforcement and deterrent outcomes. “With unique customs authorities, expertise, generations of experience carried forward from the legacy U.S. Customs Service, and a steadfast commitment to interagency collaboration, ICE HSI’s Global Trade Division is fully committed to partnering with the Department of Justice and U.S. Customs and Border Protection to strengthen the investigations of trade-related crimes,” said Assistant Director for Global Trade Ivan Arvelo of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations. “Enforcing U.S. international trade laws is one of our agency’s top priorities, and this revitalized and expanded Trade Fraud Task Force is a significant step in the right direction. These enhanced efforts will undoubtedly add immense value to the task force and yield positive results in support domestic industry and businesses engaging in legal international commerce.” Because American manufacturers and American workers are at the heart of this Administration’s trade policy, the Task Force welcomes referrals and cooperation from the domestic industries that are most harmed by unfair trade practices and trade fraud. Domestic industries are often best placed to spot fraud that threatens our markets and the livelihoods of American workers and their families. Referrals can be submitted to the Criminal Division’s Corporate Whistleblower Program at CorporateWhistleblower@usdoj.gov using the form available here . Similarly, the Task Force encourages whistleblowers to utilize the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act to alert the government to credible allegations of fraud. Finally, the Task Force encourages all importers and their agents to conduct thorough audits of their importing practices and voluntarily self-disclose and remediate unlawful behavior consistent with the Justice Manual §§ 4-4.112 and 9-74.120.


title: Illegal Alien Who Concealed Kilos of Fentanyl in a Diaper Box and Hid Firearms Under a Bed Faces Federal Charges

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Atlanta – Alexis Carreon Bocanegra, an illegal alien from Mexico, was arrested and detained in federal court on charges related to his alleged distribution of fentanyl and possession of firearms. “Bocanegra, an illegal alien, allegedly tried to hide a significant amount of deadly fentanyl and unlawfully armed himself to protect his stash,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Thanks to the diligent investigation of our law enforcement partners, Bocanegra is now in federal custody. His fentanyl will never hit the streets, and his guns will no longer threaten the safety our community.” “Fentanyl is a poison that continues to claim lives, and combining it with firearms only increases the danger,” said Jae W. Chung, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “DEA is committed to removing both from our streets.” According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Between February and March 2025, DEA agents conducting surveillance allegedly saw Bocanegra handle suspected illegal drug proceeds worth approximately $400,000. Additionally, in March 2025, Bocanegra allegedly distributed a vacuum-sealed package containing approximately a kilogram of fentanyl. On August 25, 2025, DEA agents arrested Bocanegra and searched his Stone Mountain home. They found two firearms, including an AR-15 rifle, hidden under a bed. Agents also located approximately 5.5 kilograms of fentanyl concealed in a Huggies diaper box inside a nearby shed. Alexis Carreon Bocanegra, 25, a Mexican citizen with no legal status in the United States, was charged in a criminal complaint on August 27, 2025, with possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. On August 28, 2025, a federal magistrate judge ordered Bocanegra to remain in federal custody without bail. Members of the public are reminded that the criminal complaint only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with valuable assistance provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office; the Atlanta Police Department; the DeKalb County Police Department; and the Sandy Springs Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney James Hwang 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, 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 and Project Safe Neighborhood. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov . For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Justice Department Announces Acting Director of the U.S. Trustee Program

component: U.S. Trustee Program

body_text: Attorney General Pamela Bondi has selected Ramona D. Elliott to serve as Acting Director of the Justice Department’s U.S. Trustee Program (USTP), the Justice Department announced today. Elliott has 31 years of federal service, the majority of which has been with the USTP. Since 2011, she has served as Deputy Director and General Counsel for the Executive Office for U.S. Trustees in Washington, D.C. As the USTP’s chief legal officer, she has overseen the formulation of the USTP’s national legal policies in consumer and business cases as well as litigation strategies in significant matters before bankruptcy courts and in appeals. This includes leading the USTP’s efforts culminating in the Supreme Court’s historic decision in Harrington v. Purdue Pharma LP , 144 S. Ct. 2071 (2024), holding that the Bankruptcy Code does not authorize non-consensual third-party releases. Elliott was previously Acting Director of the USTP from April 2022 to February 2023. She is the USTP’s liaison to the Judicial Conference’s Advisory Committee on Bankruptcy Rules and a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy. The USTP’s mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders — debtors, creditors and the public. The USTP consists of 21 regions with 88 field offices nationwide and an Executive Office in Washington, D.C. Learn more about the USTP at www.justice.gov/ust .


title: Methamphetamine Trafficker Is Sentenced To Over 24 Years

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Keith Ryan Noles, 44, of Marble, N.C., was sentenced yesterday to 296 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release on drug and gun charges, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Noles and his co-defendant, Tina Hill, 47, also of Marble, were convicted at trial in March 2024, of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and aiding and abetting possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Noles was also found guilty of possession of a firearm by a felon. According to filed court documents and trial evidence, law enforcement in Texas intercepted more than eight pounds of methamphetamine. Trial evidence showed that law enforcement learned the methamphetamine was intended for Hill and Noles in North Carolina. The jury heard testimony that, between 2020 and 2021, the defendants’ source of supply or his representative made multiple trips to North Carolina to deliver packages of methamphetamine to Hill and Noles, and to pick up cash payments. After the drug delivery was intercepted in Texas, law enforcement planned a controlled delivery of the methamphetamine to Hill and Noles as originally planned. Noles was arrested soon after he arrived to assist with the delivery of the methamphetamine to his and Hill’s residence in Marble. Hill was later arrested at the residence. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked Homeland Security Investigations and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case as well as the Andrews Police Department and the Graham County Sheriff’s Office for their invaluable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hess and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Annabelle Chambers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville are prosecuting the case. Ms. Chambers is a state prosecutor with the office of the 43rd Prosecutorial District and was assigned by District Attorney Ashley Welch to serve as SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville. Ms. Chambers is sworn in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position is a reflection of the partnership between the office of the 43rd Prosecutorial District and the United States Attorney’s Office. The SAUSA position helps ensure the effective and vigorous prosecution of federal court cases that impact the counties within the 43rd Prosecutorial District.


title: Austin Man Arrested for Alleged Sexual Exploitation of a Minor Through Social Media

body_text: AUSTIN, Texas – An Austin man was arrested Wednesday on criminal charges related to his alleged sexual exploitation of a minor. According to court documents, Jonathan Ruiz-Correa, 29, allegedly using the name “Lucas” and claiming to be 17 years old, began chatting on Snapchat with a 14-year-old girl in May. A criminal complaint alleges that Ruiz-Correa knew the minor’s age and that their conversations included discussion of sexually explicit videos Ruiz-Correa wanted the minor to send him—which she eventually did. Ruiz-Correa also allegedly explored the possibility that he would pay for her to travel from out of state to meet him, and on two occasions, he used a PayPal account to send the minor money. Alleged chats between Ruiz-Correa and the minor also occurred on Instagram. The minor victim allegedly learned the real age of Ruiz-Correa when she initiated a conversation with one of Ruiz-Correa’s female Instagram followers, who said he had been trying to talk to her as well. The girl sent the minor victim a video she had found on Ruiz-Correa’s alleged dating app profile. As part of the investigation, agents seized a mobile phone containing a sexually explicit video of the minor victim. The phone also contained a video allegedly depicting sexual activity with another minor, whom Ruiz-Correa allegedly traveled to meet in Houston in January. Ruiz-Correa is charged with one count of sexual exploitation of children and one count of engaging in activities relating to material constituting or containing child pornography. If convicted, he faces 15 to 30 years in prison for the exploitation charge and five to 20 years in prison for the second count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. The FBI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Devlin is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Collin County man sentenced for oil and gas fraud scheme in Eastern District of Texas

body_text: PLANO, Texas – A Murphy man has been sentenced to federal prison for defrauding investors of over $4 million in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Sameer Praveen Sethi, 42, was convicted of seven counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering by a jury following a lengthy trial before U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan on December 10, 2024. On August 28, 2025, Judge Jordan sentenced Sethi to 151 months in federal prison. According to information presented in court, over several years, Sethi engaged in a fraud scheme targeting investors of oil and gas joint ventures. Evidence presented at trial showed that Sethi would create a joint venture, prepare investment documents along with his staff, have his sales staff market the investments, and then spend the money raised from investors almost entirely on personal and business expenses. Evidence showed the investment documents contained significant misrepresentations and false statements. Although over $4 million was raised over the course of the joint ventures, investors received almost no returns. “The sentence handed down by Judge Jordan follows years of investigation by Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and a lengthy trial, and shows the serious nature of Sameer Sethi’s crimes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work closely with the IRS-Criminal Investigation office and the FBI to investigate and prosecute the kinds of investor fraud that occurred in this case and to seek justice for the public and for the innocent victims of these crimes.” This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, Texas State Securities Board, and the FBI. ###


title: Windsor Man Charged with Enticing Minors to Engage in Sexual Activity Online

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that CHRISTOPHER RODRIGUEZ, 31, of Windsor, was arrested yesterday on a federal criminal complaint charging him with enticing minors to engage in sexual activity. As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in October and November 2023, Rodriguez used the social media applications LiveIn and Discord to communicate with an 11-year-old girl in Florida and coerced her to send him a sexually explicit video of herself. In November and December 2023, Rodriguez, posing as a teenager, communicated with a 13-year-old girl from Pennsylvania using Discord and iMessage, engaged in sexually explicit conversations with her, coerced her to send him sexually explicit images and videos of herself, and sent the minor female sexually explicit images he claimed were of himself. The complaint charges Rodriguez with coercion and enticement of a minor, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life. Rodriguez appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert A. Richardson in Hartford and was ordered detained. U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis L. Beyerlein. This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com .


title: North Texas Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Production of Child Pornography

body_text: A North Texas man who used a ten-year-old child to produce child pornography was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Nancy E. Larson. Robert Owen Throgmorton, 63, was indicted in March of 2023 and pleaded guilty in May 2025 to production of child pornography. On August 21, 2025, Throgmorton was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison by United States District Judge Jane Boyle, after which he will serve a period of 10 years of supervised release. During this time, Throgmorton will be required to register as a sex offender. According to court records, Throgmorton has several related state charges pending in Rockwall County District Court. “This crime shocks the conscience. This Office and our law enforcement partners will remain vigilant in bringing predators like the defendant to justice and in seeking the maximum punishment permitted by law,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy Larson. “The 30-year sentence imposed on Robert Throgmorton reflects the seriousness of his crime,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The FBI remains committed to protecting our communities from child predators and will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those responsible for such acts are brought to justice.” The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Fate Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Claire Demers and Myria Boehm prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative that was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”


title: Todd County Man Acquitted of Assault

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that a man from Todd County, South Dakota, was acquitted of Assault by Striking, Beating, and Wounding after a federal jury trial in Pierre, South Dakota, on August 27, 2025. Joel Miller, age 51, was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2025. The charge related to an allegation that Miller assaulted a man in May 2025, in Todd County, and within the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because federal law mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court. The investigation was conducted by the Todd County Sheriff’s Office, the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, and the FBI. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case.


title: Wrentham Man Arrested for Possession of Child Pornography

body_text: BOSTON – A Wrentham man has been arrested and charged for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Wael Isreb, 66, was arrested and charged with one count of possessing child pornography. Isreb made his initial appearance in federal court in Boston yesterday and is scheduled to appear for a detention hearing on Sept. 4, 2025. According to the charging documents, after receiving information regarding files on the Kik messaging application, a search was conducted at Isreb’s residence. Forensic analysis of electronic devices seized during the search revealed that Isreb allegedly possessed approximately 26 images and 115 videos of CSAM, including a video depicting the rape of a child who appeared to be approximately three to four years old. According to court documents, in 2021, Isreb was previously convicted in Massachusetts state court of possessing child pornography. The charge of possessing child pornography while previously convicted of a like offense provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, a mandatory five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.00. 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. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric L. Hawkins of the Major Crimes Unit 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: Middletown Resident Charged in Health Care Fraud Scheme Involving Durable Medical Equipment

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that HABROON HABIB, 29, a citizen of Pakistan and lawful permanent resident of the U.S. residing in Middletown, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with offenses stemming from an alleged health care fraud scheme involving durable medical equipment (“DME”). As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, the Medicare Advantage program, commonly known as Medicare Part C, offers Medicare beneficiaries managed care options by allowing them to enroll in private health care plans rather than having their care covered through Medicare’s traditional fee-for-service program, commonly known as Medicare Part B. The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services contracts with private health insurers to administer the Medicare Advantage program. It is alleged that Habib and Around the World Solutions LLC, a company he formed in January 2025, and others, engaged in a health care fraud scheme to defraud the Medicare Advantage program through the submission of fraudulent claims for DME, specifically orthotics, that were never provided to patients. Between February and June 2025, Around the World Solutions, which had a business address at a shared office space location in Middletown, billed various Medicare Advantage plan sponsors for orthotics purportedly provided to more than 400 Medicare beneficiaries around the U.S., none of whom resided in Connecticut. The beneficiaries did not ask for, or receive, the orthotics. It is further alleged that Habib engaged in unlawful financial transactions involving proceeds of the scheme. In February 2025, Habib opened a checking account in the name of Around the World Solutions. Between March 12 and May 14, 2025, approximately $680,000 in checks from Medicare Advantage plan sponsors were deposited into the account. During this same two-month period, $425,000 was transferred out of the account via wire transfers to financial institutions in Pakistan. It is alleged that HHS-OIG agents interviewed Habib on July 29, 2025, and informed him of the investigation. On August 21, 2025, investigators learned that Habib was scheduled to fly, using a one-way ticket, from JFK Airport to Pakistan on August 25. Habib was arrested on August 24, 2025. He appeared the next day in New Haven federal court and was released on a $50,000 bond and is subject to electronic monitoring. The complaint charges Habib with money laundering, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; making unlawful monetary transactions, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years; operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years; and conspiracy, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Sheldon. People who suspect health care fraud are encouraged to report it at oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraud or by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS.


title: Wampum Resident Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison for Production of Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A former resident of Wampum, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 17 years of imprisonment, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, on his conviction of producing material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on Thomas Hyatt-Baney, 22, on August 28, 2025. The Court ordered that restitution will be imposed at a future hearing. According to information presented to the Court, on June 25, 2023, from 12:30 p.m. ET to 12:37 p.m. ET, using his phone, Hyatt-Baney produced three video clips depicting the sexual exploitation of a toddler. The sentence imposed also reflected Hyatt-Baney’s responsibility for the production of another video of the toddler and the possession of hundreds of videos and still images depicting the sexual exploitation of minors. Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Pennsylvania State Police and Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Hyatt-Baney. 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 (CEOS), 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 .


title: Covington Man Sentenced for Federal Controlled Substances Act Violations

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JAYLON CARTER (“CARTER”) , age 24, a resident of Covington, Louisiana, was sentenced by United States District Judge Susie Morgan to sixty-three (63) months’ imprisonment, three (3) years of supervised release, and $300.00 in mandatory special assessment fees, after previously pleading guilty to three counts of distribution of forty (40) grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B), announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson. According to court documents, in January 2024, the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office received information that CARTER sold “M30 blue pills” out of an apartment complex in Covington or from his vehicle. After St. Tammany detectives confirmed that CARTER lived in the apartment complex, the detectives used an individual CARTER believed to be a legitimate buyer, to make three controlled purchases of fentanyl pills from CARTER at the apartment complex. This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations and the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney André Jones of the Narcotics Unit.


title: Estonian National Extradited to the United States to Face Charges for Helping Russian Military Acquire U.S Electronics

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: BROOKLYN, NY – Andrey Shevlyakov was arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Peggy Kuo at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn. He is charged in an indictment with conspiracy and seventeen other counts related to an international procurement scheme to source U.S.-made electronics and technology for the Russian government and military. Shevlyakov, an Estonian national, was arrested in Estonia on a provisional arrest warrant issued from the Eastern District of New York. He was extradited from Estonia to the United States on August 28, 2025. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for the National Security Division; Douglas A. Williams, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, FBI Houston; and Trey McClish, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security – Office of Export Enforcement’s Dallas Field Office announced the extradition. “As alleged, the defendant supplied the Russian military with sophisticated electronics after misleading U.S. companies,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Our Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to use every tool at our disposal to disrupt Russia’s illegal procurement of U.S. technology that threatens our national security and the security of our allies.” Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the Estonian Internal Security Service (KAPO) for their valuable assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Shevlyakov. “We welcome Mr. Shevlyakov to the United States to face justice,” stated Special Agent in Charge Williams. “His illegal acquisition of U.S. semiconductor technology on behalf of the Russian military endangered U.S. national security, which the FBI fights so hard to protect. This case highlights Russia’s willingness to break U.S. laws to modernize its military and weapon systems with U.S. technology. We’re grateful to all our international partners who made Shevlyakov’s capture and extradition possible." As alleged in the indictment and other public court filings, the defendant engaged in a years-long effort to evade U.S. export controls. His scheme involved procuring and delivering sensitive U.S. technology to end-users in Russia, including defense contractors and Russian government agencies. The defendant was added to the U.S Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security’s entity list, meaning that he was prohibited from acquiring any items from the United States without permission from the Department of Commerce. To evade these prohibitions, the defendant used a series of shell companies to order electronics and other items from U.S.-based suppliers. He also misled U.S. suppliers about the ultimate destination for the sensitive electronics they provided to him. Over the course of his scheme, the defendant procured hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of sensitive electronics. The items acquired by the defendant included low-noise pre-scalers and synthesizers used to conduct high-frequency communications. He also obtained analog-to-digital converters which are used in defense systems including avionics, missiles, and electronic warfare systems. The defendant communicated with Russian defense contractors and telecommunication companies about these sensitive items. He also traveled extensively between Russia and Estonia to deliver the items he had obtained. On one occasion, the defendant was caught smuggling goods into Russia by customs authorities in Finland. When stopped at the Russian border, the defendant’s car was searched and authorities found electronics and semiconductors dispersed among groceries and luggage and hidden in several other places, including the car’s spare tire compartment. The charges in the indictment are merely allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander Mindlin and Gilbert M. Rein are in charge of the prosecution, along with Trial Attorney Christopher Cook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. The Defendant : ANDREY SHEVLYAKOV Age: 48 Tallinn, Estonia E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-490 (RPK)


title: Waterloo Man Sentenced to 168 Months in Federal Prison for Attempted Enticement of a Minor Charges

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Waterloo man was sentenced to 168 months in federal prison for Attempted Enticement of a Minor to Engage in Illicit Sexual Activities. According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, in October 2023, Gabriel Keith Usher, 47, began messaging over the internet with an undercover officer posing as a 15-year-old minor. Within days, Usher professed his love for the minor and suggested sexual acts they could engage in. When Usher arrived at a designated location to meet with the minor, law enforcement seized his cell phone. In October 2024, Usher was sentenced in Black Hawk County, Iowa to 5 years in state prison on unrelated state charges of enticing a minor under age 16, and sexual exploitation of a minor. After completing his term of imprisonment, Usher will be required to serve a ten-year term of supervised release. Usher was also ordered to register. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa. This case was investigated by the Iowa City Police Department. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the resources tab.


title: Former Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office Employee and Slidell Resident Indicted for Conspiracy to Commit Theft and Bribery Concerning Program Receiving Federal Funds

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that KENNETH LAWSON (“LAWSON ”), age 39, a resident of New Orleans, and AREION BANKS (“BANKS”) , age 33, a resident of Slidell, were indicted on August 28, 2025 for conspiracy to commit theft and bribery concerning a program receiving federal funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371, 666(a)(1)(A), and 666(a)(1)(B). According to the indictment, LAWSON was employed by the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office (OPSO) as Grants Manager in OPSO’s Grants Department between about August 2022 and November 29, 2024. In that capacity, LAWSON possessed the ability to request grant payments from grant originators and to issue checks from OPSO to companies acting as subgrantees under grants received by OPSO. LAWSON met BANKS in about March 2024. Shortly thereafter, LAWSON and BANKS devised a scheme in which LAWSON would exploit his position at OPSO to steal checks made out to subgrantees and cause them to be deposited into the financial accounts under the custody or control of LAWSON or BANKS. Thereafter, BANKS would pay bribes to LAWSON in the form of a portion of the resulting cash. On one such occasion, on or about August 12, 2024, BANKS paid LAWSON a bribe in the amount of approximately $5,900. This bribe stemmed from LAWSON ’s successful diversion of approximately $15,000 from OPSO, without authorization, by exploiting LAWSON’s position with OPSO. Additionally, in about July 30, 2024, LAWSON incorporated an entity entitled “Williams James Assoc. LLC.” (“Williams James”) with the State of Louisiana, and thereafter controlled and served as the registered agent and managing member for that entity. On the same day, LAWSON opened a business checking account at a financial institution based in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. in the name of Williams James. Despite Williams James not having any relationship with, or providing services to, or on behalf of OPSO, LAWSON in his professional capacity with OPSO, engaged in a digital transaction requesting that the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) draw down a portion of a $3.907 million grant DOJ had previously awarded to OPSO. Specifically, he directed DOJ to send $100,000 of the grant funds to the Williams James financial account, without the knowledge or authorization of his supervisors. To make the transaction appear legitimate, LAWSON and BANKS agreed that BANKS , in exchange for a portion of the ill-gotten proceeds, would contact the financial institution and pose falsely as an OPSO employee who approved the transaction. LAWSON then sent detailed instructions on what to say to BANKS . BANKS then contacted the financial institution, falsely claimed to be an OPSO employee, and told a financial institution representative that OPSO approved the transaction. In fact, OPSO was unaware of, and had not approved, the transaction. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, LAWSON and BANKS each face up to five years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Department of Justice – Office of the Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson also expressed appreciation for the support provided by the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, is in charge of the prosecution. * * *


title: Des Moines Man Sentenced to 262 Months in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl

body_text: DES MOINES, Iowa – A Des Moines man and reported member of the Black P Stones criminal street gang was sentenced on August 27, 2025, to 262 months in federal prison for his participation in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. According to public court documents, in the spring of 2024, law enforcement learned that Kevin Stanley Harris, Jr., 44, was a high-level fentanyl dealer operating in Des Moines. Following a seven-month investigation, law enforcement confirmed that Harris traveled to and from Chicago, Illinois, to obtain large quantities of fentanyl for redistribution in Des Moines and had multiple co-conspirators working with and for him to distribute fentanyl on a daily or near daily basis. Harris was arrested on December 18, 2024, the same day thirteen federal search warrants were executed, which resulted in the seizure of approximately 610 grams of heroin/fentanyl mixture, approximately 135 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 260 grams of marijuana, as well as 19 firearms and more than $13,000 in U.S. currency amongst the residences. Harris was sentenced under the United States Sentencing Guidelines as a career offender and has an extensive criminal history that includes possession of weapons and multiple drug-related convictions, including a prior federal conviction out of the Northern District of Iowa, as well as convictions involving cocaine and THC. After completing his term of imprisonment, Harris will be required to serve an eight-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Des Moines Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and United States Postal Inspection Service. Des Moines Police Department Chief Michael McTaggart said the following of the investigation and sentence: “The Des Moines Police Department is grateful for the strong partnership with our federal agencies, whose collaboration has been essential in our ongoing efforts to protect our community from the devastating effects of the illegal distribution of fentanyl. Justice for families impacted, and the prevention of tragedies yet to happen, comes from the joint efforts of the men and women who work together to intervene in the trafficking of this deadly drug.” “Through our joint enforcement efforts, we’ve dismantled a criminal organization that posed a direct threat to the safety and stability of various communities,” said Bryan Musgrove, Inspector in Charge of the Denver Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “This sentencing is a result of a coordinated effort of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to keep heroin and other drugs out of our communities.” “Fentanyl is an exceptionally destructive drug that wreaks havoc on our communities. We will continue partnering aggressively with our law enforcement partners to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations operating in Iowa. The sentencing of Kevin Stanley Harris, Jr., is one important step in our continuing fight to keep fentanyl out of our neighborhoods” said FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel. Harris’s co-defendants are scheduled to be sentenced as follows: Adonis Devora, 44, of Des Moines, on September 22, 2025; Devonte Hassell, 29, of Houston, Texas, on September 30, 2025; Ricky Ellis, 30, of Des Moines, on October 1, 2025; Ryan Redmond, 31, of Chicago, Illinois, on October 20, 2025; and Terrell Harris, 41, of Chicago, Illinois, on December 2, 2025. Fentanyl is the leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the United States. Fentanyl deaths for youth ages 15 to 24 more than doubled between 2018 and 2022. Counterfeit, fentanyl-laced pills often resemble pharmaceutical pills, but contain potentially lethal doses of fentanyl. Visit the Drug Enforcement Administration’s website to learn more about One Pill Can Kill .


title: Fries Man Sentenced for Threatening United States Officials

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ABINGDON, Va. – A Fries, Virginia man, who mailed threats to harm multiple federal officials including a judge, probation officer, prosecutor, and a defense attorney from the Federal Public Defender’s Office, all while incarcerated on state charges, was sentenced today to 42 months in federal prison. Jonathan Reed Stiltner, 50, pled guilty in March 2025 to one count of mailing threats to injure officers of the United States. “Every day, judges, the judiciary staff, prosecutors, and public defenders work for the American justice system and should be free to do their work for our great Nation without fear of violence or retaliation,” Acting United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci said today. “This office will aggressively prosecute those who attack our justice system by threatening violence against those who serve it.” According to court documents, while in custody pursuant to numerous state felony charges brought by Dickenson County, Stiltner handwrote a number of letters threatening to harm specific federal officials. As a specific example, on November 13, 2023, Stiltner handwrote and mailed through the U.S. mail a letter threatening harm to a named federal judge, an Assistant United States Attorney, a federal probation officer, and a member of the Federal Public Defender’s Officer. In his letter, Stiltner stated, in part, “Although Im (sic) incarcerated I still have people on the street who can do things and if Im (sic) not charged federally ASAP as I was told I would be Im (sic) going to send people to pay [specific government officials] visits.” He also wrote, “Does someone have to get hurt to prove Im (sic) very serious.” Robert N. Tracci, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals.


title: Mexican National Sentenced for Illegally Using Social Security Number to Obtain Louisiana Driver’s License

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – ActingUnited States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that JOSE GUADALUPE MUNOZ-PEREZ (“MUNOZ”) , age 46, a native of Mexico, was sentenced by United States District Judge Wendy B. Vitter on August 12, 2025 after previously pleading guilty to illegally using a social security number to obtain a Louisiana driver’s license, in violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 408(a)(7)(B). MUNOZ was sentenced to time served. Judge Vitter also sentenced him to one year of supervised release and payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. According to court documents, on July 24, 2020, MUNOZ applied for the renewal of a Louisiana driver’s license using the name and Social Security number of a real person, at a Public Tag Agency in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. A Public Tag Agency is an authorized entity that handles various vehicle-related transactions on behalf of the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles. 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). Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon Maestri of the General Crimes Unit was in charge of the prosecution. * * *


title: Honduran Man Guilty of Illegal Reentry of a Removed Alien

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that WILIAN SERRANO-MOREIRA (“ SERRANO ”), age 34, pleaded guilty on August 26, 2025 to illegal reentry of a previously removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a). His sentencing is set for October 9, 2025, before United States District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown. According to the charging document , SERRANO was found in the United States on April 15, 2023, having reentered the United States without authorization from the Attorney General of the United States after being previously deported on July 17, 2019. He faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two (2) years, followed by up to one (1) year of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. 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). Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon M. Maestri of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution. * * *


title: North Dakota man sentenced in east Texas romance scam, ordered to pay over $4.7 million in restitution

component: USAO - Texas, Eastern

body_text: PLANO, Texas – A Williston, North Dakota, man has been sentenced to federal prison and ordered to pay restitution in a money laundering conspiracy in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Daniel Boadu, 36, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering and was sentenced to 54 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Michael J. Truncale on August 29, 2025. Boadu was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $4.7 million. According to information presented in court, from at least August 2015 through February 2021, Boadu conspired with others to defraud individuals in what is commonly known as a romance scam. In a romance scam, culprits post fake profiles on various dating websites throughout the United States and the world. The profiles are used to lure unsuspecting victims looking for romance or companionship. After contacting the victim online, the culprit uses various forms of communication such as email, instant messaging, text messaging, smart phone applications and phone calls to build trust and form a relationship. Once trust has been gained, the culprit will convince the victim to provide money for various reasons. The victim then transfers funds or deposits money into bank accounts within the United States. The bank account holder in the United States will then transfer the fraudulently obtained funds to the culprit facilitating the fraud, often keeping a portion of the funds for themselves. In this scam, Boadu was one of the bank account holders in the United States. This case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anand Varadarajan. ###


title: Luzerne County Main Sentenced To 130 Months’ Imprisonment For Drug And Firearm Offenses

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Justis Shea, age 32, of Glen Lyon, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 130 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release by United States District Judge Julia K. Munley for one count of possession with intent to deliver controlled substances and one count of felon in possession of a firearm, with the sentences to run concurrent to each other. According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Shea previously pled guilty to possessing with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl and a synthetic cannabinoid, commonly referred to as K2, in a Luzerne County hotel room in June of 2024. As part of that plea, Shea also admitted to possessing, on or about July 2, 2024, a stolen Smith & Wesson M&P 15 rifle, which had previously been shipped in interstate commerce, knowing that he had previously been convicted of a felony. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”), the Kingston Police Department, the Wilkes-Barre Police Department, the Pittston Police Department, the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney James M. Buchanan prosecuted the case. This case was prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted, and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms. This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. # # #