title: Justice Department Seeks to Denaturalize Sexual Predator Who Sexually Groomed and Assaulted Child Beginning When She Was Eleven

component: Civil Division

body_text: Today, the Department of Justice announced that it has filed a denaturalization action in the Southern District of New York against Hassan Sherjil Khan, a native of Pakistan. Starting in 2007 or 2008, Khan began communicating online with an 11-year-old girl (the Victim). Until 2013, Khan, knowing that Victim was barely in her teens, continually coerced and enticed her to send him sexually explicit images of herself and to engage in sexually explicit conduct via live video chats. Khan also traveled abroad to engage in sexual acts with the Victim when she was only fifteen. But when Khan applied for naturalization in August 2012 — just four months after he had traveled to have sexual contact with Victim — he concealed his involvement in his sex crimes. As a result, he was able to procure U.S. citizenship in May 2013. After Khan naturalized, the Victim disclosed his crimes, and he was arrested in September 2015 and charged with coercing and enticing a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, sexual exploitation of a child, sexual exploitation of a child outside of the United States, and receipt of child pornography. “Naturalization and U.S. citizenship will not protect sexual predators from the consequences of their horrific acts,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “If you fail to disclose serious crimes while seeking naturalization, the government will discover your lies and revoke your ill-gotten U.S. citizenship.” At the time of his arrest, Khan was working as a physician. On Jan. 14, 2016, Khan pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b). He was sentenced to 17 years in prison and remains incarcerated. The denaturalization complaint against Khan alleges that he illegally procured his naturalization because when he naturalized, he lacked good moral character required for naturalization because he had committed a crime involving moral turpitude and then had given false testimony about his crimes during his naturalization proceedings. The denaturalization complaint also alleges that Khan obtained his naturalization through willful misrepresentations or concealment of material facts. The litigation is being jointly handled by Deputy Chief Hans H. Chen of the Department of Justice’s Office of Immigration Litigation-Affirmative Litigation Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Waterman for the Southern District of New York. Mr. Khan’s sex crimes were investigated by the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Rossmiller of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. The denaturalization claims made in the complaint are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability regarding Mr. Khan’s naturalization. Note: This press release is based in part on the press release issued upon Khan’s criminal sentencing in June of 2016.


title: The Justice Department Takes Actions to Strengthen the Federal Death Penalty

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Today, the Department of Justice acted to restore its solemn duty to seek, obtain, and implement lawful capital sentences—clearing the way for the Department to carry out executions once death-sentenced inmates have exhausted their appeals. Among the actions taken are readopting the lethal injection protocol utilized during the first Trump Administration, expanding the protocol to include additional manners of execution such as the firing squad, and streamlining internal processes to expedite death penalty cases. These steps are critical to deterring the most barbaric crimes, delivering justice for victims, and providing long-overdue closure to surviving loved ones. “The prior administration failed in its duty to protect the American people by refusing to pursue and carry out the ultimate punishment against the most dangerous criminals, including terrorists, child murderers, and cop killers,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Under President Trump’s leadership, the Department of Justice is once again enforcing the law and standing with victims.” On his first day in office, President Trump directed the Department of Justice to prioritize seeking death sentences in appropriate cases, promptly carrying out those sentences, and strengthening the death penalty. Since then, the Department has taken sustained action to implement that directive and reverse the Biden Justice Department’s efforts to erode the death penalty. The Biden Justice Department, under Attorney General Merrick Garland, broke sharply from its longstanding approach to capital crimes and took extraordinary steps to weaken, delay, and dismantle the death penalty. In doing so, it caused untold harm to the public. Specifically, the Biden Justice Department: Imposed an indefinite moratorium on executions based on a deeply flawed analysis asserting that the existing federal practice of execution by lethal injection with pentobarbital could not be carried out without risking “unnecessary pain and suffering.” Declined to seek the death penalty in many horrific cases, even where career prosecutors and Biden’s own U.S. Attorneys recommended it, including cases involving child rapists and murderers; racially motivated mass shooters; and gangsters and drug dealers who murdered law enforcement officers, government witnesses, and informants. Abandoned capital prosecutions that prior Attorneys General had lawfully authorized and that federal prosecutors were actively litigating—against the wishes of victims’ families and career prosecutors. Urged President Biden to effectively empty federal death row by commuting the death sentences of 37 of 40 death-row inmates based on Attorney General Garland’s personal opposition to the death penalty without consulting all the victims’ families. Under the leadership of President Trump and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, the Justice Department is committed to correcting these failures and restoring the lawful administration of the death penalty. The Department has rescinded the Biden-Garland moratorium on federal executions and has authorized seeking death sentences against 44 defendants. Acting Attorney General Blanche has already authorized seeking death sentences against nine of these defendants, including three MS-13 members, two of whom are illegal aliens, accused of murdering a federal witness. Today, the Justice Department took the following steps to better achieve public safety and deliver justice to victims of the very worst crimes: Released the Restoring and Strengthening the Federal Death Penalty Report, which examines the actions of the Biden-Garland Justice Department and, after a thorough analysis, finds that the use of pentobarbital to carry out death sentences is consistent with the Eighth Amendment. Directed the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to reinstate the execution protocol adopted during the first Trump Administration, which relies on pentobarbital as the lethal agent. Directed BOP to expand the execution protocol to include additional manners of execution such as the firing squad. Directed BOP to examine relocating or expanding federal death row or constructing an additional execution facility to permit additional manners of execution. Directed the Office of Legislative Affairs to finalize and deliver a comprehensive legislative proposal to Congress that will improve public safety and better achieve justice for victims. In the coming weeks, the Department plans to take the following additional steps: Consider a rule that will empower states to streamline federal habeas review of capital cases. If adopted, the rule will reduce by years the period between conviction and execution in state capital cases. Publish a proposed rule prohibiting capital inmates from submitting clemency petitions, and the Office of the Pardon Attorney from considering such petitions, until court decisions in the inmate’s direct appeal and first collateral attack are final. Revise the Justice Manual to return the Department to its historic approach to capital crimes, streamline the process for seeking death sentences, and ensure appropriate consultation with victims’ families. Read the report here .


title: Federal Drug Charge for Gainesville Man

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Gainesville, Florida – Trai Williams, 27, of Gainesville, Florida, has been indicted in federal court on one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charge. Williams appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Midori A. Lowry in Gainesville, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for May 27, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. before Chief District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor in Gainesville, Florida. If convicted, Williams faces 10 years to Life imprisonment. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, and the Gainesville Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner. 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 , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl .


title: Justice Department Intervenes in xAI lawsuit Challenging Colorado’s ‘Algorithmic Discrimination’ Law

body_text: The Justice Department moved to intervene in a lawsuit filed by artificial intelligence company xAI, challenging a new Colorado law that prohibits so-called “algorithmic discrimination.” The Justice Department alleges that the Colorado law violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment by requiring AI companies to prevent unintentional disparate impact that their products could have based on protected characteristics like race and sex, and by exempting liability for certain forms of discrimination designed to advance “diversity.” “Laws that require AI companies to infect their products with woke DEI ideology are illegal,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will not stand on the sidelines while states such as Colorado coerce our nation’s technological innovators into producing harmful products that advance a radical, far left worldview at odds with the Constitution.” “America’s success in the AI race will depend on removing barriers to innovation and adoption across sectors,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Laws like Colorado’s that force AI models to produce false results or promote ideological bias threaten national and economic security and must be stopped.” The statute, Colorado SB24-205, requires AI “developers” and “deployers” to satisfy certain disclosure, reporting, and prevention requirements when creating algorithm products designed for services like mortgage lending, student admissions, and job-candidate selection. But the statute has an explicit carveout for discriminatory algorithms designed to advance “diversity” or “redress historic discrimination.” AI company xAI filed a lawsuit challenging the statute on April 9. You can view the lawsuit here .


title: Rosebud Man Sentenced to Over 2 Years in Federal Prison for Domestic Assault by an Habitual Offender

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Rosebud, South Dakota, man convicted of two counts of Domestic Assault by an Habitual Offender. The sentencing took place on April 20, 2026. Marlon Oliver, Jr., age 41, was sentenced to a total of two years and ten months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Oliver was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2025. He pleaded guilty on January 12, 2026. The convictions stem from two separate incidents that occurred in Todd County in the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. On October 11, 2024, Oliver was at the residence of his domestic partner, argued with her, and then assaulted her by shoving her. On December 1, 2024, Oliver was again at the residence of his domestic partner when she told him to leave. Oliver refused to leave and then threatened her with a knife. At the time of both incidents, Oliver had two prior convictions in Rosebud Sioux Tribal Court for domestic assault. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to state court. This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case. Oliver was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: U.S. Attorney Pirro and Mayor Bowser Announce New Legislation to Provide Additional Protections for Victims of Domestic Violence

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Mayor Muriel Bowser, and District public safety leaders announced the Protecting Victims Act of 2026, new legislation aimed at protecting victims of domestic violence. The legislation includes measures to strengthen protections for survivors, enhance accountability measures against offenders, and protect privacy and safety. Although violent crime is down in the District year-to-date, domestic violence-connected assault with a dangerous weapon charges have been increasing, making this bill a timely intervention to protect District residents and reverse a concerning trend. “Even as overall crime declines, the persistence of domestic violence—and the tragic rise in domestic violence homicides—underscores the urgent need for stronger enforcement tools,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Too often, these cases reflect repeated abuse, where prior incidents or pending charges did not stop further harm. The Protecting Victims Act will help ensure that the most dangerous offenders can be identified, detained when appropriate, and held fully accountable under the law. My office remains committed to working alongside our law enforcement and community partners to intervene earlier and prevent violence before it escalates. With these additional tools, prosecutors and judges will be better positioned to protect survivors and prevent further tragedy.” “This legislation is about making sure that survivors are protected and that their safety and privacy are respected. It’s also about making sure that when someone needs help, they can trust that help will be there, and that when someone breaks the law, there are clear and consistent consequences,” said Mayor Bowser. “With the Protecting Victims Act, we want victims and survivors to know that we are here for them, and we want abusers to know that they will face swift and certain consequences.” The Protecting Victims Act of 2026 builds on ongoing efforts across the District to close gaps in enforcement and ensure that court-issued protections are meaningful, enforceable, and responsive to the realities survivors face. Key provisions of the Protecting Victims Act of 2026 include: Strengthening Enforcement of Court Orders to Protect Victims Holds offenders accountable for repeated violations of temporary and civil protection orders by punishing repeated violations as felony offenses. Improves enforcement of stay away and no contact orders by providing courts with additional tools to enforce serious violations of release conditions, including a presumption that they should securely hold a defendant when they commit a new crime against the same victim. Strengthens consequences for violations of post-conviction stay away and no contact orders in misdemeanor intrafamily offenses and misdemeanor sex offenses by making a violation of these orders a felony with penalties consistent with other felony cases. Strengthening Pretrial Detention of Domestic Violence Offenders Provides courts with improved tools to protect victims of domestic violence by detaining abusers who harm them prior to trial, including: Creating a new hold for individuals charged with an intrafamily offense who were, at the time of the offense, released pending trial or sentencing in another intrafamily offense case. Giving courts the ability to detain offenders charged with an offense against an intimate partner who have a history of domestic violence or were subject to a protection order at the time of the offense. Giving courts the ability to detain offenders charged with a repeat violation of a protection order or felony threats against an intimate partner. Enhancing Accountability for Domestic Violence Offenders Updates language in the District’s kidnapping statute to more clearly state what the prohibited conduct is and to capture criminal conduct that the community would recognize as kidnapping. The new statute also provides multiple tiers of liability to address varied factual scenarios of different severity. Creates a felony version of unlawful entry to address circumstances in which an offender who has unlawfully entered a private dwelling or property and then commits an assault or a crime of violence. Currently, DC law provides no criminal liability when a person unlawfully enters the home of another without intent to commit another crime, or refuses to leave that home, and then commits an assault or a crime of violence. Creates an enhancement for sentencing purposes that applies to violence and threats where the offender knew or consciously disregarded a substantial and unjustifiable risk that the victim was pregnant. Creates a new offense to address circumstances in which the defendant committed certain offenses in the presence of a child, or where the child witnessed the offense, including by sight, sound, or otherwise. Protecting Victim and Survivor Privacy and Safety Amends the Metropolitan Police Department’s public disclosure requirements by providing protection to individuals who are willing to come forward to law enforcement to report that they have been a victim of or witness to a crime. “As violent crime continues to decrease, domestic violence related incidents are leading to an increase in Assault with a Dangerous Weapon offenses, and account for 30% of this year’s homicides,” said Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Chief Jeffery Carroll. “MPD has redoubled outreach to domestic violence survivors District-wide. We want all DC residents to know the signs of domestic violence and know the resources offered by MPD and our partners. Most importantly, we want every survivor to know they are not alone.” Throughout April, MPD has led outreach efforts to highlight domestic violence prevention and resources at more than 20 events across all eight wards, including apartment buildings, places of worship, retail stores, and community centers. The DC Victim Hotline is available at 844-4-HELP-DC (844-443-5732) and is a 24 hours a day 7 days a week chat- and text-based resource and crisis line for all crime victims in the District of Columbia. Visitors to the hotline receive strength-based and trauma-informed services and referrals in over 200 languages. Residents and visitors are reminded: if you are in immediate danger, call 911. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro highlighted new efforts underway at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including the creation of the Violent Intimate Partner Emergency Response (VIPER) team, which prioritizes high-risk domestic violence cases and seeks to secure victims’ grand jury testimony as early as possible. This initiative ensures that, at the earliest stages following an arrest, a prosecutor and victim-witness specialist are engaged to support survivors, strengthen evidence collection, and help build cases that do not rely solely on victim testimony. By identifying high-risk cases—including those involving repeated abuse, strangulation, or the presence of children during the offense—VIPER connects victims with time-sensitive resources and supports stronger, more effective investigations. These enhancements are designed to better protect victims, hold offenders accountable, and prevent cases from falling through gaps in the system.


title: Leader of multi-million dollar international money laundering and drug trafficking ring sentenced to 20 years in prison

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA – Monica Dominguez Torres has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for leading a transnational criminal organization that operated methamphetamine conversion laboratories in the Atlanta area and laundered millions of dollars of drug proceeds to Mexico. “Dominguez Torres once operated a prolific criminal operation and lived a lavish lifestyle paid for by drug trafficking,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Now, thanks to the diligent work of our Homeland Security Task Force, Dominguez Torres’s operation has been demolished, and she will spend the next two decades in prison paying for her crimes.” “This case highlights the evolving nature of drug trafficking organizations which is combining large-scale methamphetamine conversion with complex asset accumulation,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Our agents followed the drugs and the money, leading to the seizure of millions in assets tied directly to criminal activity.” “We followed the money, and it led us straight to the heart of this criminal operation. HSI doesn’t just chase shadows—we dismantle cartels and protect the homeland, one takedown at a time,” said Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “Our success is built on strong partnerships and combining our unique capabilities with those of our federal, state, and local allies. Together, we deliver results that keep our communities safe.” “Methamphetamine conversion laboratories present an immediate and significant threat to communities across the United States,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman of IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “These clandestine operations endanger the public through toxic chemicals, fire hazards, and their ties to transnational criminal networks. The sentencing of Monica Dominguez Torres underscores that individuals who engage in this level of criminal activity will be held fully accountable. IRS Criminal Investigation, in coordination with our federal, state, and local partners, remains committed to conducting rigorous, collaborative investigations to dismantle these organizations.” According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Monica Dominguez Torres’s organization operated methamphetamine conversion laboratories where liquid methamphetamine, obtained from sources in Mexico, was converted into hundreds of kilograms of crystal methamphetamine to be sold in the Atlanta area and elsewhere. Dominguez Torres and her associates used residences in the Atlanta area to collect and count millions of dollars in cash from these drug sales. The proceeds were laundered and sent to coconspirators in Mexico. As part of the criminal operation, Dominguez Torres and her associates purchased millions of dollars’ worth of real estate, vehicles, and luxury goods – all designed to conceal the illicit source of their wealth. The investigation revealed that Dominguez Torres purchased five separate residences, including a seven-bedroom waterfront home in Jonesboro, Georgia. Three of these residences were purchased with bulk cash brought directly to the transaction. Dominguez Torres and others also purchased nine luxury vehicles worth approximately $780,000. Dominguez Torres also spent lavishly on high-end goods, including nearly $400,000 at Louis Vuitton and more than $425,000 at Burberry over roughly four and a half years. During the investigation, agents seized nearly $3.6 million in cash from Dominguez Torres’s residences, stash locations, and associates. When agents arrested Dominguez Torres at her Conyers, Georgia home in February 2024, they seized more than $1.7 million in cash, five firearms, and three vehicles. On April 22, 2026, Monica Dominguez Torres, 37, of Michoacán, Mexico, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May to 20 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. As part of her sentence, Dominguez Torres was ordered to forfeit $1,750.961.00, four houses, a Cadillac Escalade, and a firearm. Nine other members of Dominguez Torres’s criminal organization including several members of her immediate family were charged as a result of the multi-year investigation. Federal agents with the DEA, HSI, and IRS partnered to conduct a thorough investigation of Dominguez Torres’s operation that resulted in these federal charges and seizures. In addition to Dominguez Torres’s sentence, the following co-defendants have been sentenced for their roles in the money laundering conspiracy: Juan Contreras Pavon, 32, of Jonesboro, Georgia, a bulk-cash money launderer, was sentenced to four years and three months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Dominguez Torres’s husband, Bladimir Hernandez, 37, of Atlanta, Georgia, a money launderer, was sentenced to four years in prison, followed by a year of supervised release. Dominguez Torres’s son, Luis Contreras Dominguez, 23, of Riverdale, Georgia, a money launderer, was sentenced to a year and a day in prison, followed by a year of supervised release. Dominguez Torres’s nephew, Louis Joshua Dominguez, 24, of Stockbridge, Georgia, a money launderer, was sentenced to three months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release. Five other defendants are awaiting trial. This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, with valuable assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Marshals Service, Georgia State Patrol, the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office, and the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. DeGenova and Nicholas L. Evert are prosecuting the case. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Atlanta Wilhelm HSTF comprises agents and officers from ATF, CGIS, DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI, IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, DSS, USMS, USPIS, and USSS, as well as numerous state and local agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia . 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) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Washington, DC Man Convicted by Jury for String of Armed Postal-Carrier Robberies

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Greenbelt, Maryland – A Washington, DC, man is headed to prison for robbing several United States Postal Service (USPS) mail carriers at gunpoint. After an eight-day trial, a federal jury convicted DeAngelo Lewis, 30, on numerous federal charges in connection with the 2022-armed robbery of seven mail carriers. Charges include armed robbery of postal carriers; bank fraud; theft of mail; and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty verdict with Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) – Washington Division; Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD); and Chief Marc R. Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD). Evidence presented at trial established that beginning in January 2022, and continuing through at least October 2022, Lewis and his co-conspirators committed numerous armed robberies. Lewis and his co-conspirators robbed seven mail carriers at gunpoint as they delivered mail in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C. The co-conspirators took the mail carriers’ postal-service keys, which open public mail collection boxes and neighborhood cluster boxes. With access to these boxes, Lewis and his co-conspirators stole personal and business checks that people placed in the mail. They then altered the checks and negotiated them at various banks, stealing almost $1 million of victims’ money in the process. According to trial testimony, as USPS carriers walked their routes, sorted mail in their trucks, or filled neighborhood cluster boxes, one or more masked individuals approached them. The individual(s) then pointed or flashed firearms and demanded the carrier’s mailbox key. During one encounter, a masked individual struck one carrier in the face even though the carrier already handed over his key. Doorbell cameras or business CCTV systems captured at least two of the robberies. Additionally, a black Mercedes sedan and a blue Dodge Challenger — which are cars Lewis was known to drive — were frequently seen leaving the scenes of the robberies. Navigation data seized from Lewis’ phone also revealed that he searched for post offices near each of the robberies shortly before they occurred. Lewis would use this information to begin searching for a mail carrier to target in that area. Law enforcement identified Lewis and his co-conspirators after seeing them on bank surveillance cameras depositing stolen and altered checks at various bank branch locations. Then, when law enforcement searched Lewis’s Marlow Heights, Maryland, apartment, officers found approximately 1,500 checks, with a face-value of nearly $3 million, that had not yet been deposited at banks. The checks were sorted in envelopes based on where they were stolen from. Postal inspectors found at least 60 instances where Lewis already deposited checks worth nearly $1 million. Law enforcement also found check-altering materials and five of the seven stolen postal-service keys in Lewis’ nightstand and on the floor in the apartment. Social media, along with a search of Lewis’ phone, revealed that he recruited others to allow him to use their accounts to deposit stolen and altered checks in exchange for a percentage of the proceeds. Postal inspectors testified that recruiting others via Instagram, Telegram, and other platforms enables fraudsters like Lewis to deposit far more checks than they could get away with if they attempted to use their accounts. On October 27, law enforcement arrested Lewis after officers observed him exiting a white Dodge Challenger. Lewis and two co-conspirators just finished stealing mail from three blue public-collection boxes in Potomac, Maryland. One of the co-conspirators was wearing a USPS shirt. Law enforcement found a sixth key – which was robbed from a mail carrier only a week before in the same area – in the vehicle. Lewis faces a minimum of seven years and a maximum of life in federal prison for using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, namely a robbery on January 31, 2022, and a minimum of five years and a maximum of life for carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, namely a robbery on October 20, 2022. Those minimum sentences must be served consecutive to each other and any other sentence imposed, for a total of at least 12 years. Additionally, Lewis faces a maximum of 30 years in prison for armed robbery, and a maximum of 30 years in prison for conspiracy to commit mail fraud and bank fraud. He is also facing additional time for charges related to bank fraud, mail theft, and unlawful possession of postal keys. A sentencing date is pending. Co-conspirators Marking Long, 24 of Washington, D.C., and Enrico Hood-Jackson, 32, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and bank fraud in connection with the scheme. Hood-Jackson also pled guilty to armed robbery and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the USPIS, PGPD, and MCPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Darren S. Gardner and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Jaskiw who are prosecuting the federal case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md . # # #


title: Department of Justice Commemorates National Crime Victims’ Rights Week

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: DES MOINES, Iowa – The Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa join federal, state, and local communities nationwide in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week and celebrating victims’ rights, protections, and services. This year’s observance takes place April 19 to 25, 2026, and features the theme “Listen. Act. Advocate. Protect victims, serve communities .” As part of this observance, the Southern District of Iowa recognizes the courage and bravery of victims, and the outstanding work of law enforcement, victim advocates, and community service partners throughout Iowa. The Southern District of Iowa would like to specifically recognize two individuals for their outstanding service to crime victims: Award for Excellence in Victim Services Brittany Marshall, Crisis Intervention & Advocacy Center (CIAC) of Adel, Iowa, nominated by the Ringold County Attorney’s Office. Law Enforcement Victim Service Award Braeden Nielson, Fairfield Police Department, nominated by the Jefferson County Attorney’s Office. “During National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, we highlight that achieving justice includes honoring the dignity and voices of victims. Our office remains committed to listening, advocating, and ensuring victims’ rights are respected at every stage of the process,” said United States Attorney David C. Waterman for the Southern District of Iowa. The 2026 Award for Excellence in Victim Services recognizes the performance of Victim Services Coordinator Brittany Marshall. As a member of Crisis Intervention & Advocacy Center, Ms. Marshall serves victims across ten counties: Adair, Adams, Clarke, Dallas, Decatur, Guthrie, Madison, Ringgold, Taylor, and Union. Her victim-centered approach is described as widely respected, including a creative and persistent dedication to providing coordinated services in the rural counties she serves. She often provides victims after-hours assistance and consistent support through a variety of investigative steps. Ms. Marshall also provides training to law enforcement and county employees on identifying and assisting crime victims. The 2026 Law Enforcement Victim Service Award recognizes Fairfield Police Department Officer Braeden Nielsen. Officer Neilsen graduated from the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy in 2023. His work is praised for exhibiting a level of dedication to justice and victim advocacy that far surpasses his tenure in law enforcement and transcendent of the traditional patrol officer responsibilities. Officer Neilsen’s work has had tangible impact on the Fairfield community, including accountability in kidnapping, sexual exploitation, and sex offender registry violation investigations. The Southern District of Iowa would also like to recognize Charlotte Kovacs, who serves as the Supervisory Victim Witness Coordinator, and Katie Blanchard, who serve as a Victim Witness Specialist, for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa. Together Charlotte and Katie support victims and witnesses of crimes throughout the federal legal process. Charlotte and Katie are committed to ensuring that victims and witnesses are treated with fairness and respect while ensuring their voices are heard in the criminal Justice System. For more information about Services and Victim Rights, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdia/victim-witness-assistance .


title: Homeland Security Task Force: Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Firearm Possession Offenses

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that CARLOS GONZALEZ NAVA, 26, a citizen of Mexico unlawfully residing in the U.S., waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty yesterday in New Haven federal court to drug trafficking and firearm possession offenses. According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2025, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Homeland Security Investigations began investigating a series of suspicious parcels that were being mailed from southern California to multiple addresses in New London. The investigation revealed that a drug trafficking organization was shipping large quantities of narcotics, primarily heroin and cocaine, through the U.S. Mail to Connecticut, and that Gonzalez Nava was the primary recipient of the drugs. In November 2025, a court-authorized search of one intercepted parcel revealed nearly a kilogram of heroin, and in February 2026, a search of another intercepted parcel revealed approximately 400 grams of cocaine. Gonzalez Nava was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on March 11, 2026. On that date, a search of his New London residence revealed four firearms, including semi-automatic pistols and a shotgun. Gonzalez Nava pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and a quantity of cocaine, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years, and unlawful possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford on July 16. Gonzalez Nava has been detained since his arrest. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement toward identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF New Haven comprises agents and officers from the FBI, DEA, HSI, ATF, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, U.S. Department of Labor, and Connecticut State Police, with prosecutions led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Konstantin Lantsman and Natasha M. Freismuth.


title: Fairfield County man faces federal charges after allegedly traveling to North Carolina to kidnap, sexually exploit 12-year-old

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: COLUMBUS, Ohio – Federal charges were filed against a Bremen, Ohio, man who allegedly kidnapped a 12-year-old North Carolina girl after meeting the minor online. The defendant was discovered with the victim in Ohio when he crashed his car into a median. Virgil Larson, 45, is charged with kidnapping a minor and four other child exploitation or pornography crimes. He will appear in federal court today at 1:30pm. According to charging documents, in early April, the FBI received information regarding a missing 12-year-old from North Carolina. Investigation revealed that Larson had been communicating with the victim on Snapchat and through text messages. North Carolina law enforcement officials were still at the girl’s home investigating the missing person report when her parents received a call from the Hocking County Sheriff’s Office on the victim’s cell phone. Deputies confirmed that they were with the victim and that she had been in the front passenger seat of a vehicle being driven by Larson. An affidavit details that Larson crashed his car into the median of Highway 33 near Hocking and Athens counties. Deputies were called to the single-vehicle crash and Larson claimed he had fallen asleep while driving and needed assistance getting his vehicle out of a ditch. Larson allegedly told law enforcement officials that the victim was “just a friend” and that she was 18 years old. When the victim could not name her birth year, officers separated her from the defendant and learned she was 12 years old. A forensic review of their online messages revealed that the victim was threatened and told others would be killed if the victim did not send a sexually explicit image. Larson was arrested in Hocking County on local charges on April 7 and has remained in custody since. His federal charges will supersede the local ones and include sexual exploitation of a minor, receipt or possession of child pornography, coercion and enticement of a minor, travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and kidnapping a minor. If convicted as currently charged, Larson would face up to life in prison. Larson is a sex offender with at least two prior related convictions. Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Hocking County Sheriff Lanny E. North; and Stokes County, North Carolina, Sheriff Joey Lemons announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Czerniejewski and Jennifer M. Rausch are representing the United States in this case. A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. This case is 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 U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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. # # #


title: Southern Indiana Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing Nearly $600,000 through Multiple Fraud Schemes

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ALBANY- Joseph M. Merk, 38, of Crandall, Indiana, has been sentenced to 4.5 years in federal prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to four counts of wire fraud, one count of bank fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, and two counts of tax evasion. Merk was also ordered to pay a total of $492,229.14 in restitution. According to court documents, Merk engaged in a years‑long pattern of fraud—including PPP loan fraud, identity theft, business loan fraud, bank fraud, and tax evasion—resulting in a total loss of $599,439.03. Merk’s schemes are broken down as follows: PPP Loan Fraud: From May 2020 to May 2021, Merk submitted six fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program applications for four entities: Donut Frenzy LLC, The Donut Shop LLC, Merk Logging LLC, and Merk Family Farms LLC. None of the businesses were eligible for PPP funds. Merk used falsified information and counterfeit documents to obtain $157,462, which he spent on personal expenses. Identity Theft and Wire Fraud: Between September and December 2023, Merk used the names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers of two victims, L.P. and A.P., to open bank accounts and apply for three business loans using fabricated companies (“[L.P.’s surname] Automotive” and “Merk Automotive”). He submitted counterfeit bank statements and misrepresented his identity. Lenders in Pennsylvania, New York, and Connecticut approved the applications, disbursing a total of $183,260 into Merk’s accounts. Between December 2023 and June 2025, Merk submitted 14 additional fraudulent business loan applications. All the applications involved fabricated businesses, and, in some instances, stolen identities. Through these loans, he received an additional $245,796 in fraud proceeds. Bank Fraud: In 2021, Merk made 93 debit‑card purchases for a luxury vacation to Hawaii, totaling $18,405.41. Among the disputed charges were several transactions at a Four Seasons resort in Maui. He later falsely disputed the charges as unauthorized. His bank approved 85 of the disputes and credited him approximately $11,180.63. Tax Evasion: Merk failed to report approximately $209,992 in income for tax years 2017 through 2021, thereby causing a tax loss of $71,754. For each tax year, he did affirmative acts to evade assessment of tax, including preparing and signing false tax returns, which were submitted to the Internal Revenue Service. In total, Merk’s fraudulent conduct involved nine identity theft victims, seventeen business victims, and two governmental victims. One of the identity theft victims was sued by a lender after Merk failed to repay a fraudulent loan obtained in the victim’s name, resulting in a lien being placed on the victim’s bank account. “Merk treated fraud as a way of life. He stole pandemic relief funds, hijacked innocent people’s identities, lied to banks, and cheated on his taxes. Fraud of this magnitude doesn’t just hurt institutions, it disrupts lives, damages credit, and burdens taxpayers” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This prosecution makes clear that persistent, brazen fraud will be met with decisive federal action.” “Through multiple fraudulent schemes, the defendant exploited trust for personal gain,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “The FBI and our partners will not hesitate to pursue those who target individuals and businesses and remain committed to protecting our communities from financial crime.” FBI Indianapolis and IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Sarah Evans Barker. U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew B. Miller, who prosecuted this case. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. ###


title: Somerset County Man Indicted For Production Of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Tyler Fuller, age 31, of Somerset County, PA, was indicted yesterday on a superseding indictment charging production, receipt and possession of child pornography. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that Fuller produced, received and possessed child pornography from August 2023 to January 2024. Homeland Security Investigations, State College Police Department, Ferguson Township Police Department, and the Centre County District Attorney’s Office investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Alisan V. Martin is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is 30 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Lycoming County Man Indicted On Drug Offense

body_text: WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Tyrone Jammal Wade, age 49, of Lycoming County, was indicted by a federal grand jury on a drug-trafficking charge. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment charges Wade with possession with intent to distribute cocaine on March 26, 2026, in Montour County. The FBI, Lycoming County Narcotics Enforcement Unit, and the Pennsylvania State Police investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Alisan V. Martin is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law for the most significant offense is twenty years of imprisonment and a fine. A sentence for each of these offenses also includes a period of supervised release following imprisonment. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged by indictment are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Adds Nearly 250 New Federal Immigration Cases in Western District of Texas This Week

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – Federal prosecutors in the Western District of Texas filed 245 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from April 17 to April 23, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons. Charges were brought against human smugglers and illegal aliens with past convictions for numerous DWIs, violent crime, including crimes against children, drug trafficking, and multiple prior removals. Among the new cases, Daniel Calderon-Ortiz , a convicted felon and illegal alien from Mexico, was arrested after U.S. Border Patrol agents found that he had allegedly transported an illegal alien to an apartment in El Paso. A criminal complaint alleges that Calderon-Ortiz had picked up the illegal alien off of I-10 and had previously picked up other aliens and housed them in the apartment. Calderon-Ortiz was last deported in September 2014 following a conviction for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon the month prior. In Alpine, USBP agents arrested U.S. citizen Peyton Russell Ortiz on April 19 near Big Bend National Park. The vehicle allegedly driven by Ortiz was linked to a failed smuggling attempt that occurred in February. As described in a criminal complaint, agents observed the vehicle slow down and stop on the side of the road upon seeing a marked USBP patrol unit. Without activating their emergency equipment, agents decided to conduct a welfare check. The complaint notes Ortiz’s unkempt appearance and alleges that he exhibited signs of nervousness, erratic behavior, and movement while agents questioned him. Ortiz allegedly stated that he and a female front passenger were the only two occupants in the vehicle, though upon further investigation, USBP agents detained five individuals attempting to hide in the rear passenger seat and six additional concealed individuals in the truck bed—all 11 of whom were confirmed to be illegal aliens. The complaint further alleges that a search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of a loaded firearm in the front seat center console. Ortiz is charged with one count of human smuggling. Ricardo Marquina Castillo , an illegal alien from Mexico, was arrested on April 16 and charged with illegal re-entry in Del Rio after just being deported the week before. Marquina Castillo’s criminal record contains five DWIs out of Minnesota. His removal through El Paso on April 7 was his 11th. Mexican national Martin Macedo-Aroyo was arrested on April 18 near Maverick and charged with illegal re-entry. His criminal record consists of five convictions, including a felony third DWI and two convictions for contempt of court. He was deported for the second time on Sept. 29, 2025. Alexis Santos Alvarado , an illegal alien from Honduras, was charged with illegal re-entry in Del Rio. Santos Alvarado was convicted in July 2025 for unlawful restraint of a minor and sentenced to one year in jail. He was deported the following month through Harlingen. Yimy Jose Lopez-Mejia aka Jimmy Lopez-Mejia, also an illegal alien from Honduras, was charged with illegal re-entry in Del Rio, having been previously removed from the U.S. four times, the last being in December through Miami, Florida. Lopez-Mejia is a convicted felon with a confirmed record of aggravated assault and robbery. On April 20, Mexican national Joel Gomez-Cruz was transferred to ICE custody in San Antonio from the Bexar County Adult Detention Center after he was sentenced to 209 days confinement for assault causing bodily injury. Gomez-Cruz was arrested on Sept. 22, 2025, for assault on a peace officer/judge. Through immigration records, he was determined to be an illegal alien previously removed from the United States in 2013. His past convictions include aiding and abetting possession with intent to distribute marijuana in 2006, which resulted in 24 months imprisonment, and illegal re-entry in 2010, resulting in 46 months imprisonment. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including ICE, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Federal Indictment Charges Reputed Chicago Gang Member With Illegally Possessing Firearms

body_text: CHICAGO — A reputed member of a violent Chicago street gang has been indicted on a federal firearm charge for allegedly unlawfully possessing two firearms. ALEXANDER MARTINEZ-QUIROZ, 35, of Chicago, possessed a rifle and handgun from December 2025 to April 2026, according to an indictment returned Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. As a previously convicted felon, Martinez-Quiroz was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm. A criminal complaint filed in the case alleges that Martinez-Quiroz fired three shots from the handgun while standing in front of a Chicago building on Dec. 18, 2025. While firing the shots, Martinez-Quiroz calls out that he is a member of the street gang, the complaint states. Martinez-Quiroz recorded himself firing the shots, and the government played the video at Martinez-Quiroz’s detention hearing in federal court. The video can be viewed here . [Note: You may need to download the video to see it properly. The download button is on the bottom right of the video, next to the volume button.] Martinez-Quiroz was arrested on April 9, 2026. A U.S. Magistrate judge initially ordered him released from custody on bond, but the U.S. Attorney’s Office appealed to a U.S. District Court judge, who reversed the Magistrate judge’s ruling and granted the government’s motion for pre-trial detention. The defendant is now in federal custody pending trial. The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan L. Shih. The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. martinez-quiroz_indictment.pdf martinez-quiroz_complaint.pdf


title: Iranian National Charged for Smuggling Illegal Aliens into United States

component: Criminal Division

body_text: An indictment was unsealed today in the Western District of Texas charging Jafar Tafakori, 57, an Iranian national, for his role in coordinating the smuggling of illegal aliens into the United States. Tafakori was arrested in Colombia at the request of the United States. According to the indictment, from at least Dec. 1, 2022, through on or about May 15, 2024, Tafakori illegally brought large numbers of aliens, primarily Iranian nationals, into the United States. In exchange for payment, Tafakori coordinated with others to provide shelter, transportation, and occasionally airline tickets for the aliens to travel through South and Central America and Mexico. Tafakori charged some aliens as much as $30,000 for his services. Once at the U.S./Mexico border, the aliens were directed to illegally enter the United States. “Securing our borders and stopping alien smuggling is a top priority for the Department of Justice,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This defendant allegedly transported many illegal aliens into the United States, exploiting our nation’s immigration laws and depriving our immigration officials the ability to vet and review the individuals entering our communities. Thanks to the hard work of our prosecutors and investigative partners, this individual was arrested in Colombia and will be brought to justice in the United States for his crimes.” “Jafar Tafakori allegedly smuggled Iranian nationals illegally into the United States for 18 months,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Based on this indictment, Colombian authorities acted fast and arrested Tafakori, and when he is extradited, he will face justice in the United States. Those who endanger our communities by participating in human smuggling across our borders will be apprehended regardless of if they live in the United States or abroad.” “Tafakori’s actions demonstrate the inherent dangers of an open-border policy,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “The enemy was at the gate, and the gate was left wide open. Tafakori’s indictment and arrest, which was facilitated by members of the Homeland Security Task Force, reinforce this administration’s commitment to securing our borders, protecting Americans, and diligently prosecuting those who took advantage of derelict open-border policies.” “Homeland Security Investigations remains steadfast in its pursuit of transnational criminal organizations that endanger national security by smuggling illegal aliens from regions associated with criminal activity,” said acting Special Agent in Charge John A. Pasciucco, HSI San Antonio. “HSI’s ongoing investigations focus on identifying, disrupting, and dismantling these networks to ensure those who threaten the safety of our communities are brought to justice. Our commitment to protecting the homeland is unwavering, and we will continue to use all available resources to prevent individuals with dangerous intentions from exploiting our borders.” “The arrest of this Iranian national involved in smuggling large numbers of individuals — primarily fellow Iranian citizens — into the United States underscores the global reach and threat of human smuggling networks,” said Assistant Director Ricardo Mayoral of HSI International Operations. “This outcome, made possible through close coordination between HSI San Antonio, HSI Bogotá, and our Colombian partners, reflects HSI’s unwavering commitment to protecting our borders and disrupting transnational criminal activity.” Tafakori is charged with one count of conspiracy to bring an alien to the United States and five counts of bringing an alien to the United States for financial gain. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each count. If convicted of three or more counts of illegally bringing an alien to the United States for financial gain, Tafakori faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years and a maximum penalty of fifteen years. Colombian authorities issued a warrant and arrested Takafori on April 23 in Pereira, Colombia, pursuant to a request from the United States. HSI San Antonio conducted the investigation along with assistance from the HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center, HSI Bogotá, and United States Border Patrol’s Del Rio Sector Intelligence Unit. Significant assistance was provided by HSI Bogota’s Transnational Criminal Investigative Unit from the Colombian National Police’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations (TCIU-DIJIN) and the Colombian Attorney General’s Office. Trial Attorney Bethany Allen of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions section, on detail from the Office of International Affairs, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian Rosales for the Western District of Texas are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of the Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Office of International Affairs, and Interpol Washington provided significant assistance in this matter. The Justice Department thanks its Colombian law enforcement partners for their expeditious enforcement operation. The investigation and indictment were supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant United States Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 455 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 400 U.S. convictions; and more than 350 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes these organizations commit, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Florence man sentenced to 30 years in prison for producing and receiving images and videos of child pornography

body_text: MISSOULA – A Florence man who produced child pornography was sentenced today to 360 months in prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said. Matthew Ray Tack, 41, pleaded guilty in December 2025 to two counts of production of child pornography, two counts of transfer of obscene material to minors, and one count of receipt of child pornography. U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. The government alleged in court documents that on May 14, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Matthew Tack’s residence in Florence and seized several phones and a laptop. Law enforcement searched the laptop and found three videos and 20 pictures which depicted minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Some of the images and videos had creation dates ranging from December 5, 2023, to May 8, 2024, indicating they were received on the laptop on those dates. Several of the file paths indicated that at least some of the images were shared via applications like WhatsApp and Telegram. Additionally, forensic analysis of the laptop revealed Tack had engaged in chats with minors on an online chat application, largely between 2021 and 2022. The chats included Tack’s solicitation from multiple minors of images and videos that depicted the minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Tack consistently urged the minors with whom he was talking to send him sexually explicit images and videos. For example, in a 2021 chat with a minor who indicated they were just entering the 10th grade, Tack told the minor that he wanted “lewd pics” of the child and that “I had hopes that later I could get you to send some.” Tack told the child his sexual interest in her was due (at least in part) to her age, saying “… young and hot, definitely my weakness.” Beginning on April 20, 2021, and continuing through October 9, 2021, Tack engaged in similar chats on the application with Jane Doe 1. At the time of these chats, Jane Doe 1 was 13 years old. Tack began their chat by immediately asking Jane Doe 1 for a picture. He then sent several shirtless photos of himself and asked Jane Doe 1 “Could you take some?” In total during this conversation, Tack sent Jane Doe 1 two pictures of his penis and Jane Doe 1 sent Tack three images of herself engaged in sexually explicit conduct, at Tack’s behest. Law enforcement located Jane Doe 1 and interviewed her. She confirmed she likely sent the above-described images to Tack and identified herself in some the pictures law enforcement recovered from the records of the conversation described above. Beginning on September 16, 2021, and continuing through February 19, 2022, Tack also engaged in similar chats on the application with Jane Doe 2. At the time of these chats, Jane Doe 2 was 13 years old. During the conversations, Tack exhorted Jane Doe 2 to send him images of herself engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Tack reassured Jane Doe 2 he would not show the images to anyone because of how “bad” the age difference between them was, and that “…we should not be doing this but we are… I could go to prison.” Law enforcement located Jane Doe 2 and interviewed her. She identified Tack by picture and confirmed she sent Tack the images of herself engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lowney prosecuted the case. The FBI, State of Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, Glasgow Police Department, and Western Australia Police Force conducted the investigation. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC . XXX


title: Federal Jury Convicts Ecuadorian for Threatening to Murder San Antonio Park Ranger

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – A federal jury in San Antonio convicted an Ecuadorian national for threatening to murder a federal official, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on or about July 24, 2023, Sergio Renato Tapia, 31, called the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park and left a voicemail that included a violent threat to murder a National Park Service ranger. NPS rangers immediately recognized Tapia's voice and worked quickly with the U.S. Marshals Service to apprehend him on July 26. NPS rangers had previously encountered Tapia on numerous occasions at Mission Concepcion, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to an active Catholic church, citing him several times for unlawful possession of a controlled substance. This week, in front of U.S. District Judge Jason Pulliam, the jury unanimously found Tapia had intentionally communicated a threat to murder a federal official, rejecting Tapia's insanity defense after deliberating for one hour. The NPS and USMS investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Mangels is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. ###


title: Raleigh County Man Sentenced and Ordered to Pay More than $1.5 Million for COVID-19 Relief Fraud Scheme

component: National Fraud Enforcement Division

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Ross Jay Bailey, 50, of Cool Ridge, was sentenced today to five years of federal probation, including two years on home detention, and ordered to pay $1,596,301.46 in restitution for theft of government money. Bailey obtained a $2 million loan through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act for his business and instead converted at least $1.4 million of the proceeds for his personal enrichment. Bailey has paid the restitution in full. According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about June 30, 2020, Bailey obtained an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) of $150,000 on behalf of his business, R&R Delivery Service Inc. The CARES Act authorized the Small Business Administration (SBA) to provide EIDL program loans of up to $2 million to eligible small businesses experiencing substantial financial disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Bailey successfully applied to increase the loan amount in August 2021 to $500,000 and in February 2022 to the $2 million maximum. Bailey certified that he would use all loans proceeds solely as working capital to alleviate economic injury caused by the pandemic. As part of his guilty plea, Bailey admitted that he fraudulently used the money he obtained through the EIDL program for purposes he knew were expressly forbidden. Bailey transferred at least $1.4 million of the EIDL proceeds from his business’s bank account to his personal bank account from on or about March 1, 2022, through on or about May 31, 2022, and Bailey converted these funds into purchases of stock and cryptocurrency for his personal enrichment. In addition to the criminal restitution ordered today, Bailey has agreed to pay $2,403,698.54 to settle the government’s pending civil claims brought under the False Claims Act and the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989, and for breach of contract. Bailey’s brother, Ryan Keith Bailey, 47, of Beaver, was sentenced on September 16, 2025, to one year and two months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $2,134,900 in restitution after pleading guilty to theft of government money. Ryan Keith Bailey obtained $2,166,517.40 in loans through the CARES Act for his business and instead converted nearly all of the proceeds for his personal use. The United States filed a civil lawsuit against Ryan Keith Bailey seeking civil damages and penalties that could exceed $9,289,579.10. Mark William Bailey, 53, of Beckley and a cousin of Ross Jay Bailey and Ryan Keith Bailey, pleaded guilty on September 8, 2023, to theft of government monies, admitting he stole approximately $451,237.51 in SBA loans he obtained through the CARES Act. On October 25, 2024, Mark William Bailey was sentenced to five years of federal probation, including one year on home detention, and paid $451,237.51 in restitution and an additional $451,237.98 as a civil penalty to settle False Claims Act allegations. “He didn’t just break the law - he exploited a moment of national crisis for personal profit,” United States Attorney Moore Capito said of Ross Jay Bailey. “While families were struggling to survive and small businesses were fighting to keep their doors open, these three treated relief funds like a personal bank account. Today’s sentence makes clear that greed dressed up as opportunity will be met with accountability. We will find those who steal from the public trust, and we will hold them to answer — no matter how they try to hide it, and no matter how many of them there are.” The Bailey family members are among more than 30 individuals convicted in the Southern District of West Virginia of offenses involving the theft or fraudulent use of COVID-19 relief funds. Court-ordered restitution in these cases currently exceeds $5 million. Capito made today’s announcement and commended the investigative work of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of Inspector General (NASA OIG), the United States Secret Service, the West Virginia State Police-Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI), the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU), and retired Southern District of West Virginia Litigation Financial Analyst Steve Rowley. “Exploiting emergency government assistance programs betrays public trust and steals directly from hard-working Americans,” said Robert Steinau, Senior Official at the NASA Office of Inspector General. “I applaud the exceptional collaboration with the Southern District of West Virginia that led to today’s sentencing, ensuring that individuals who manipulate federal systems for personal gain are held accountable.” NASA OIG is an active member of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Fraud Task Force. The PRAC was established to promote transparency and facilitate coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 20 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending, including spending via the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. This case was also supported by the PRAC’s Pandemic Analytics Center of Excellence, which applies the latest advances in analytic and forensic technologies to help OIGs and law enforcement pursue data-driven pandemic relief fraud investigations. Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed today’s sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes prosecuted the case with assistance from Asset Forfeiture Assistant United States Attorney Justin Marlowe and Financial Litigation Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Combs. Assistant United States Attorney Gregory P. Neil is handling the civil litigation. On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division . The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within federal benefit programs. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-cr-105. ###


title: Two Men Plead Guilty to Causing Explosion on Harvard Medical School Campus

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – Two Massachusetts men pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to conspiring to damage a building on Harvard Medical School’s (HMS) campus using a large commercial firework. Logan David Patterson, 18, of Plymouth, Mass. and Dominick Frank Cardoza, 21, of Bourne, Mass., each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to damage, by means of an explosive. U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley scheduled sentencings for Aug. 4, 2026. In November 2025 , the defendants were arrested and charged. At approximately 2:23 a.m. on Nov. 1, 2025, surveillance cameras located at Huntington Avenue and Longwood Avenue in Boston captured two males – later identified as Patterson and Cardoza – walking toward the HMS campus wearing face coverings and dark clothing. Surveillance video captured the defendants lighting what appeared to be roman candle fireworks at approximately 2:24 a.m. At approximately 2:33 a.m., the defendants were seen climbing over a chain-link fence into a construction area surrounding the Goldenson Building and, minutes later, climbing scaffolding beside the building to access the roof. At approximately 2:45 a.m., campus police received a fire alarm alert from an explosion on the fourth floor of the Goldenson Building, which houses a research laboratory within HMS’s Department of Neurobiology. It was determined that the defendants detonated a large, commercial firework inside a wooden locker in the fourth-floor research laboratory. Subsequent security footage captured the defendants visiting the fifth floor of the building before exiting via a first-floor emergency exit and fleeing in opposite directions; removing and discarding clothing items they had worn on the HMS campus; and returning to the nearby campus of Wentworth Institute of Technology, which they were visiting for Halloween social activities. The charge of conspiracy to damage, by means of fire or an explosive, provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Holcomb of the National Security Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: Fayette County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Paul Jeremiah Buckner, 38, of Oak Hill, was sentenced today to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 7, 2024, a law enforcement officer in Glade Creek conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Buckner was a passenger. The officer found that Buckner possessed a Taurus TPC .380-caliber pistol during the traffic stop. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. As part of his guilty plea, Buckner admitted that he knew he was prohibited from possession the firearm because of his prior felony conviction for delivery of a controlled substance in Fayette County Circuit Court on January 14, 2014. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the National Park Service. Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-58. ###


title: Savoonga woman sentenced to 10 years for trafficking drugs to her community

component: USAO - Alaska

body_text: ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Savoonga woman was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison for trafficking large amounts of illegal drugs into her small community on behalf of a drug trafficking organization allegedly run by a California inmate . According to court documents, in December 2022, law enforcement officials identified a suspicious parcel addressed to Michelle Pungowiyi, 51, at a P.O. Box in Savoonga, a rural Alaska community with a population of around 835 people, located on St. Lawrence Island. Law enforcement officials, armed with a federal search warrant, opened the parcel and found over 3,000 illicit fentanyl pills. A few weeks later, law enforcement officials identified another suspicious parcel addressed to Pungowiyi at the same P.O. Box. Law enforcement officials executed another federal search warrant and found over 4,000 illicit fentanyl pills. In February 2023, law enforcement officials learned of a third parcel addressed to Pungowiyi at the same P.O. Box, but they were unable to stop the parcel in time, and it was delivered on Feb. 13. Investigators determined that Pungowiyi was in contact with the alleged ringleader of the organization. Text messages between Pungowiyi and the alleged ringleader documented that the first two packages containing drugs never reached their Savoonga destination. “Ms. Pungowiyi tried to traffic over 7,000 illegal fentanyl pills into the small community of Savoonga, enough to potentially kill the entire village population eight times over,” said U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon. “Her role in this drug trafficking organization shows that suppliers and dealers will stop at nothing to exploit Alaskans, no matter where they are located. Thanks to the incredible law enforcement and prosecutorial work, we are taking drug traffickers out of the pipeline one after another.” “Ms. Pungowiyi trafficked deadly fentanyl into her own remote Alaskan village targeting her vulnerable community with enough poison to kill them all,” said Robert A. Saccone, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “Through Fentanyl Free America, DEA is working alongside our partners to disrupt the criminal networks responsible for flooding communities with deadly drugs and to hold accountable those who profit from dealing in death. We will continue to pursue traffickers at every level and use every available tool to protect the American people from this unprecedented threat.” “The distribution and use of illegal and dangerous narcotics have no place in the U.S. Postal Service and the State of Alaska. The conviction of Pungowiyi removes a plague from their community and a dangerous criminal,” said Inspector in Charge Anthony Galetti of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Seattle Division. “Every day, Postal Inspectors here in Alaska work with our law enforcement partners to do everything we can to identify those responsible for using the U.S. Mail to transport illegal and dangerous narcotics and we thank them for their support and efforts in this investigation.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska has been recused from this case expect for certain personnel. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven D. Clymer from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York has been appointed as Special Attorney to the United States Attorney General to assist with this and other recused cases. He reports to and acts under the direction of the Deputy Attorney General, or his delegee, or U.S. Attorney Bradford in these cases. Special Attorney Clymer supervises personnel from the District of Alaska who have been exempted from the recusal. The Drug Enforcement Administration Seattle Field Division Office and Anchorage District Office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service Seattle Division and Anchorage Domicile, and Alaska State Troopers investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Schroeder prosecuted the case. ###


title: Beckley Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Charge

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Michael Bailey, 37, of Beckley, was sentenced today to one year and 11 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 22, 2024, Bailey sold approximately 57 grams of methamphetamine in exchange for $480 to a confidential informant in Beckley. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, and the Beckley Police Department. Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-66. ###


title: Former Dallas Police Department Sergeant Sentenced to 28 Months in Federal Prison for Selling Stolen Service Weapons

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

body_text: A former Dallas Police Department sergeant who sold stolen service weapons was sentenced to 28 months in federal prison, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould. Thomas Fry, 53, of Royse City, Texas, was sentenced on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, by United States District Judge Brantley Starr for possession and sale of a stolen firearm. “This police officer violated his oath and the public’s trust when he chose to commit a crime,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “Our law enforcement partners work day and night to keep us safe and enforce the law, and our trust and faith in them will not waiver. We will work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to root out the few bad apples among their ranks.” “This case strikes at the core of public trust,” said Brian Garner Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Dallas Field Division. “The very individuals entrusted to safeguard our communities must be held to the highest standard. When that trust is violated through the theft and illegal sale of firearms, it endangers the public and undermines the integrity of law enforcement. This 28-month federal sentence sends a clear message: no one is above the law, and those who abuse their authority will be held accountable. ATF remains committed to working alongside our partners to protect our communities and prevent illegal firearms trafficking. Court records reveal that Fry, who at the time was a sergeant with the Dallas Police Department, admitted to three separate instances of taking a firearm owned by the Dallas Police Department, knowing that the firearms were stolen, and selling them to an Oklahoma pawn shop in June and July of 2022. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Dallas Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marty Basu prosecuted the case.


title: Snyder County Woman Sentenced To 168 Months In Prison For Drug Trafficking

body_text: WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Valerie Rose Tallent, age 40, was sentenced to 168 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release on March 26, 2026, by Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann, related to her conviction for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and crack cocaine. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, during the month of January 2023, law enforcement conducted a controlled purchase of narcotics from Tallent who had professed that she had taken over her incarcerated boyfriend’s drug trafficking business. Law enforcement then obtained a search warrant for the property in which she was living where they recovered approximately 25 grams of fentanyl, 11 grams of crack cocaine and 1.5 pounds of crystal methamphetamine. Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Lycoming County Narcotics Enforcement Unit investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Luisa Honora Berti is prosecuting the case. # # #


title: Illegal Aliens from Mexico Indicted for Drug Trafficking in Utah after Agents Seized Nearly 100,000 Fentanyl Pills and Other Narcotics in Homeland Security Task Force Operation

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment charging two illegal aliens from Mexico with drug crimes after agents with the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force, and Homeland Security Task Force, seized approximately 98,800 fentanyl pills and other illicit drugs during the execution of multiple search warrants. Eder Montoya-Rosales, aka Jesus Tadeo Gonzalez Estrada, 21, residing illegally in Salt Lake City, and Nazario De Jesus Del Campo Perez, 31, residing illegally in Salt Lake City, were initially charged by complaint on April 9, 2026. According to the allegations in court documents, beginning in February 2026, agents with the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force initiated a criminal investigation into Montoya-Rosales, Perez, and other members of a drug trafficking organization believed to be distributing large quantities of narcotics in the District of Utah. On April 8, 2026, agents executed multiple search warrants on residences and vehicles believed to be used by the defendants. During the search of Perez’s residence, agents located and seized approximately 9,747.99 grams of field-tested positive fentanyl; 1,330.34 grams of field-tested positive heroin; 84.70 grams of field-tested positive methamphetamine; a suspected drug ledger; drug paraphernalia, and U.S. currency. The fentanyl evidence is approximately 97,000 fentanyl pills. During the search of Montoya-Rosales’s vehicle, agents located and seized approximately 184.29 grams of field-tested positive fentanyl; 243.28 grams of field-tested positive heroin, and 15.81 grams of field-tested positive methamphetamine. The fentanyl evidence is approximately 1,800 fentanyl pills. During the search of Montoya-Rosales’s residence, agents located and seized approximately 2.71 grams of field-tested positive fentanyl and a quantity of U.S. currency. Montoya-Rosales was previously removed from the United States on October 1, 2024. Perez has been removed from the United States on multiple occasions, including March 26, 2014, July 26, 2019, and November 5, 2024. Montoya-Rosales and Perez are charged with multiple charges including conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, conspiracy to distribute heroin, and reentry of a previously removed alien. Their initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for April 24, 2026, at 12:30 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. First Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement. The case is being investigated by the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force and Homeland Security Task Force. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Assistant United States Attorney Seth Nielsen of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case. These prosecutions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Salt Lake comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.