title: LAST OF MULTIPLE INDIVIDUALS SENTENCED FOR FEDERAL KIDNAPPING CONVICTION

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – Semaj Ayers, 23, of Detroit was sentenced yesterday to 110 months in federal prison following a conviction for federal kidnapping, United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. announced today. Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge James M. Deir of the ATF in Michigan. Semaj Ayers entered a guilty plea to kidnapping on March 18, 2025. In total seven people were charged with conspiracy to kidnap and kidnapping from this incident. Six people have been convicted. Cortez Blake, 23, and Nasir Lewis, 24, were convicted of kidnapping at trial, while Maijah Greene, 24, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to kidnap; Shatonnia Kimbrough, 21, Armond Williams, 22, and Ayers pleaded guilty to kidnapping. The final defendant, Karamoh Turner, was acquitted at trial. During the trial of Blake and Lewis, the jury heard evidence that the defendants worked with others to kidnap and beat their victim. The kidnappers wrongly believed the victim took part in a carjacking and the kidnapping was to retaliate and extract information from the victim. According to the testimony, a group of armed men took the victim from Sinai-Grace Hospital. The kidnappers first drove the victim to an empty lot in Detroit where the victim was beaten. The kidnappers then took the victim to a residence controlled by Blake, where the victim was held at gunpoint and beaten intermittently for hours. Finally, the victim was abandoned miles away on the roadside. At trial, the government proved that the victim was held against her will at gunpoint in a house in Detroit where she was physically beaten. This was done in part to get information from her. Cellphones were used to recruit and direct others to join the kidnapping of the victim. Two additional people were convicted of the carjacking that precipitated the kidnapping. Jamar Lee-Stinson pleaded guilty to carjacking and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence and was sentenced to 141 months in prison in May 2024. Amiaya Bryant also pleaded guilty to carjacking and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence and was sentenced to 120 months in prison in June 2024. “Gang violence destroys the ability of innocent people in our community to simply go about their business. These defendants tried to take vengeance against another group and committed horrible violent crimes. And they kidnapped the wrong person to boot,” said U.S. Attorney Gorgon. “We will do everything in our power to end this violence. The sentences imposed here—and the prosecutions we are bringing—are just the beginning.” “Pure and simple, Ayers and his accomplices are predators who failed. They represent the worst of the worst in our community. They wrongfully imprisoned and tortured a member of our community. ATF is the federal violent crime police, and we are relentless in holding violent offenders accountable for their poor choices,” said ATF Detroit Special Agent in Charge James Deir. “In the end, Ayers should pack his bags and prepare to be reunited with his buddies as they seek redemption in federal prison for a long time.” The United States Attorney’s Office and the ATF are focused on prosecuting those individuals who are using firearms to commit violent acts against people in the Eastern District of Michigan. The strategy is a part of the United States Attorney’s Office’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative. PSN continues to be the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders works together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. PSN is an evidence-based program that focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs to pursue lasting reductions in crime. These charges are just some of the tangible results of this joint effort. The United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to work together to reduce violence in our communities. Along with ATF, this case has been investigated with the assistance of the Office of Inspector General – U.S. Department of Labor, the United States Marshals Service, the Detroit Police Department’s Gang Intelligence Unit, and the Michigan Department of Corrections.


title: Elk Grove Man Charged with Covid Relief Fraud

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: A federal grand jury returned an indictment, unsealed Thursday, charging Oleg Gregorvich Fursov, 52, of Elk Grove, with wire fraud, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to court documents, Fursov fraudulently obtained more than $1 million as part of the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program to purportedly assist his business in recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, Fursov used the funds for his own personal use. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Delaney is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Fursov faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This effort is part of a California COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force operation, one of five interagency COVID-19 fraud strike force teams established by the U.S. Department of Justice. The California Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources in the Eastern and Central Districts of California and focuses on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces use prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.


title: Western District of Texas U.S. Attorney Adds 269 Immigration Cases This Week

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – United States Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas announced today that federal prosecutors in the district filed 269 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from Aug. 15 through 21. Among the new cases, Mexican national Hector Garcia and Victor Rodriguez , a U.S. citizen, were arrested in Dilley on Aug. 16, when they were allegedly caught transporting five illegal aliens who were locked in metal compartments affixed to a pickup truck. A criminal complaint alleges that U.S. Border Patrol agents witnessed the pickup truck travel down roads and on routes utilized by human smugglers to avoid Border Patrol checkpoints. The truck driver’s driving behavior further raised the agents’ suspicion, and, as a result, agents conducted a traffic stop. The complaint alleges that Garcia was riding as a passenger in the vehicle and had an expired work visa. Rodriguez was allegedly the driver of the truck and told the agents that the keys to compartments affixed to the sides of the truck bed were at “the yard,” though, during a pat down search, agents found him to be in possession what appeared to be toolbox keys. Using those keys, the agents were able to unlock the compartments and allegedly discovered five individuals—all confirmed to be Mexican nationals illegally present in the U.S.—hidden inside. If convicted of alien smuggling as alleged in the complaint, Garcia faces up to 10 years in federal prison, while Rodriguez faces up to five. Mexican national Santiago Esquivel Gonzalez was arrested and charged with one count of being an illegal alien in possession of firearm. A criminal complaint alleges he attempted to sell five firearms at a location in San Antonio on Aug. 19. Immigration records revealed Esquivel Gonzalez was in the U.S. illegally. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison. In El Paso, U.S. citizen Alberto Dovali-Gamboa was arrested after USBP agents allegedly observed multiple individuals breach the border fence and enter his vehicle. A criminal complaint alleges that Dovali-Gamboa disregarded an attempted investigatory traffic stop and ultimately was stopped after Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) troopers deployed a tire deflation device. When his vehicle finally stopped, Dovali-Gamboa was placed under arrest by USBP and eight passengers—all determined to be illegal aliens—were allegedly observed laying down in the rear of his vehicle. Joshua Magdaleno , also a U.S. citizen, was arrested on Aug. 17 after he was allegedly identified as the driver of a vehicle transporting four illegal aliens from Mexico, Guatemala, and Colombia. A DPS trooper had allegedly observed the four aliens breach the border fence and enter Magdaleno’s vehicle. A criminal complaint alleges that Magdaleno failed to yield to emergency lights and sirens, and that DPS had to perform a pit maneuver to immobilize the vehicle. According to the complaint, Magdaleno stated he had been recruited to pick up illegal aliens on the border through a post on Instagram. A Mexican national was arrested during a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) inspection on a Union Pacific train. Mexican railroad security officers allegedly notified CBP officers that they had seen a person on one of the rail cars. A criminal complaint alleges that during the inspection, the CBP officers removed Francisco Alfredo Palacios-Guerrero from a grain hopper. Further investigation revealed that Palacios-Guerrero was previously removed from the U.S. four times, and had been convicted three times for illegal re-entry, three times for possession of narcotics, twice for battery, twice for presenting false identification, and once for an escape from jail. A Honduran national was arrested near Maverick on Tuesday and charged with illegal re-entry. Marlon Gerardo Zavala-Garcia had been previously removed from the U.S. twice, the most recent being in January. He was convicted in Hondo on Nov. 12, 2024, for smuggling of persons and sentenced to 130 days confinement. In Austin, a Salvadoran national was taken into federal custody after he had been arrested and booked in the Williamson County Jail. Rene Adalberto Jacinto-Rodriguez was convicted in 2009 for assault causing bodily injury of a family member and in 2010 for the aggravated felony of indecency with a child by sexual contact. Jose Marvin Lopez-Sanchez , a Honduran national, was also taken into federal custody and charged with illegal re-entry in Austin. Lopez-Sanchez was previously removed in May 2024 after being convicted of assault causing bodily injury and criminal trespass. He was also convicted in 2023 for assault causing bodily injury of a family member and interfering with emergency request for assistance. Mexican national Vicente Rodriguez-Santos was transferred into federal custody from the Travis County Jail where he had been booked for his third DWI arrest. Rodriguez-Santos was previously removed from the U.S. in 2018. In addition to the prior DWI convictions, he was convicted in August 2016 for criminal trespass, in October 2016 for theft property, and in 2017 for possession of a controlled substance. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). 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: Springfield Man Convicted of Sexual Exploitation of a Child, Receipt and Possession of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: SPRINGFIELD – A Springfield, Mass. man was convicted yesterday, following a 4-day trial, of possession and receipt of child pornography and sexual exploitation of children. Bairon Ubeda, 45, was convicted by a federal jury of one count of possession of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of sexual exploitation of children. U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy scheduled sentencing for Nov. 24, 2025. Ubeda was previously indicted in May 2023. At the time, Ubeda was serving a state sentence for aggravated rape and abuse of a child, posing or exhibiting a child in a state of nudity, disseminating child pornography, trafficking of a person for sexual servitude, extortion, larceny, assault and battery and trafficking of a person under 18 years of age for sexual servitude. Evidence introduced at trial demonstrated that Ubeda carried out a multi-year effort to trick and coerce women using fraudulent social media persona and accounts while claiming to represent a fictitious adult modeling company. Ubeda would trick women targeted by the scheme into providing explicit images as well as personal information and identification. Ubeda would then threaten to make the images and information public if the women did not agree to engage in sexual acts with him. For women with children, Ubeda would threaten to provide the images and information to child protective services so that the women would lose custody of their children. Ubeda was charged in federal court after he coerced a woman caught up in a scheme to use a three-year-old minor victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography. Ubeda was also charged with knowingly receiving and possessing that child pornography. The charge of sexual exploitation of a child provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentenced of up to 20 years in prison, up to five 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. U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi; and Police Superintendent Lawrence Akers of the Springfield Police Department made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Hampden County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Maynard and Mark Grady of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Mexican national, unlawfully living in Longview, indicted for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm

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

body_text: TYLER, Texas – A Mexican national, unlawfully living in Longview, has been charged with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Humberto Hernandez-Fornue, 43, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. The indictment alleges that on August 14, 2025, Hernandez-Fornue was found illegally in the Eastern District of Texas and in possession of a firearm. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). If convicted, Hernandez-Fornue faces up to 15 years in federal prison. This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; Homeland Security Investigations; and the Tyler Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Farahnak. A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Jacksonville felon charged with federal firearms violation

component: USAO - Texas, Eastern

body_text: TYLER, Texas – A Jacksonville convicted felon has been charged with a federal firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Cody Nerren, 34, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The indictment alleges that on April 24, 2025, Nerren was found in possession of a firearm in Cherokee County. Further investigation revealed Nerren had been previously convicted of several felonies and prohibited from owning or possessing firearms. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). If convicted, Nerren faces up to 15 years in federal prison. This case is being investigated by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Homeland Security. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Noble. A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Hammond Man Indicted on Child Pornography Charges

component: USAO - Indiana, Northern

body_text: HAMMOND - On August 22, 2025, a federal Grand Jury in Hammond, Indiana approved a three count Indictment charging David Michael Reyes with production, distribution, and possession of child pornography in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana. Reyes was employed as the Director of Buildings and Grounds within the Hammond City School System at the time of his arrest on August 15, 2025, and has been in custody since that date. “Today’s charges stem from the quick and coordinated efforts of local and federal law enforcement, with the full cooperation of the Hammond City School System,” announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor. “While an indictment is merely an allegation, it is imperative that we ensure we are addressing the full extent of criminal activity when allegations of crimes against children are involved. I am therefore calling upon members of our community who may have information concerning the charges in this Indictment, or similar allegations involving this Defendant, to provide that information to Homeland Security Investigations.” “The Defendant’s role within the school system placed him in a position of authority, and the allegations against him, if proven, would represent a profound abuse of that trust,” said HSI Chicago Special Agent in Charge Matthew Scarpino. “HSI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who prey upon children are held accountable and brought to justice.” 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. The exploitation count is punishable by a minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a maximum of 30 years. The distribution count is punishable by a minimum sentence of 5 years and a maximum of 20 years, while the possession count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years. This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Hammond Police Department, the Indiana State Police Internet Crimes against Children Unit (ICAC) and the Hammond City School District. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nadia Wardrip. If you believe that you or someone you know may have been victimized by David Reyes or otherwise have information about the charges against him, please contact Homeland Security Investigations by phone at 1-877-4-HSI-TIP.


title: Mexican national, illegally living in Jacksonville, indicted for unlawfully returning to the United States

body_text: TYLER, Texas – A Mexican national, illegally living in Jacksonville, has been charged with unlawfully returning to the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Omar Galvan-Rodriguez, 41, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. The indictment alleges that on May 9, 2025, Galvan-Rodriguez was found in the Eastern District of Texas after having been previously deported. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). If convicted, Galvan-Rodriguez faces up to 10 years in federal prison and deportation. This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Noble. A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: City Man Charged With Carjacking a Couple at Gunpoint in West Philadelphia

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Xavier Peterson, 19, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was arrested and charged by indictment with one count of carjacking and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, arising from an armed carjacking earlier this year. Peterson was ordered detained in federal custody at a detention hearing this afternoon. The indictment alleges that, on April 4, 2025, the defendant carjacked a couple at gunpoint, forcing them out of their vehicle, which he then stole. As detailed in court filings, on the night of April 4, Victim 1 parked his Subaru Crosstrek in West Philadelphia, to drop off his girlfriend, Victim 2. A masked male approached the couple, pointed a handgun at them, and forced them out of the car. The carjacker then drove away from the scene. Approximately 40 minutes after the carjacking, Victim 2 received a notification that her credit card, which had been in the Crosstrek, was used in Upper Darby, Pa. Law enforcement in Delaware County began searching for the carjacked vehicle. About an hour after the carjacking, a Haverford police officer saw the stolen car speeding on West Chester Pike towards the Blue Route. When the officer proceeded to pull the vehicle over on Interstate 476, court filings allege, the defendant fled from the driver’s seat on foot, while the vehicle’s three passengers remained in the car. About five minutes after Peterson fled, officers found him hiding in the underbrush next to the highway, and subsequently located a loaded semiautomatic handgun lying nearby. If convicted, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison and a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment. The case was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department, the Haverford Township Police Department, the Radnor Township Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Miller. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.


title: Indian citizen living in McKinney, charged with federal tax violation  in the Eastern District of Texas

body_text: TYLER, Texas – An Indian citizen living in McKinney has been charged with a federal tax violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Anil Surabhi, 43, an Indian citizen with permanent resident status in the United States, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with attempting to evade taxes. The indictment alleges that Surabhi, while controlling an IT services company headquartered in Georgia, used funds from the company to fund his private personal investments, pay personal expenses, and make investments in real estate. Surabhi did not report those funds as income on his individual income tax returns. If convicted, Surabhi faces up to 5 years in federal prison. This case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Jackson. A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Farmington Woman Pleads Guilty to Dangerous Assault on Motorcyclist

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Farmington woman pleaded guilty on July 30, 2025, to federal charges for intentionally causing a motorcyclist to crash following an argument. According to court records, on September 2, 2024, Tenille Quintawna Peshlakai , 33, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, argued with the victim at a gas station before driving away. Peshlakai then turned around, caught up to the victim, and swerved her vehicle to block his path. This forced the victim to lay down his motorcycle and crash into Peshlakai ’s vehicle. Peshlakai fled the scene before law enforcement or medical personnel arrived. Peshlakai pleaded guilty to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon. At sentencing, Peshlakai faces up to 10 years in prison. Upon her release from prison, Peshlakai will be subject to up to three years of supervised release. Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Acting Special Agent in Charge Philip Russell of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today. The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations and the New Mexico State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case. View the Plea Agreement (Peshlakai).pdf


title: Two Albany Men Charged in Fraud Investigation That Resulted in One of the Largest-Ever Firearms Seizures in the History of the Northern District of New York

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Iziah Cox, age 37, and Kaya Cox, age 41, both of Albany, were arrested on Tuesday for conspiracy to make false statements to financial institutions as part of Operation Tidal Wave, which included court-authorized searches of more than 15 locations and resulted in the seizure of 134 firearms. Iziah Cox was subsequently charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm as a felon. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement. The conspiracy complaint alleges that in the spring of 2025, brothers Iziah Cox and Kaya Cox participated in a scheme to make false statements to numerous banks in the Capital Region and elsewhere by operating an elaborate network of dozens of New York State business entities and Albany County “Doing Business As” (DBA) business entities, misappropriating the names of real companies with which the conspirators had no relationship. These trade names were then used to open numerous bank accounts in the Capital Region and elsewhere that served to collect incoming wire transfers and checks resulting from numerous domestic and international scams targeting legitimate companies. In connection with the execution of court-authorized search and seizure warrants in the fraud investigation, investigators recovered 134 firearms from two residences in Albany and Troy, as well as storage units in Menands. According to a complaint filed yesterday in which Iziah Cox was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm as a felon, many of these guns were hidden inside stereo equipment. The charges in the complaints are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III said: “This is one of the largest firearms seizures, if not the largest firearms seizure, in the history of the Northern District of New York. The number of firearms is significant, but more important are the many lives saved as a result of Operation Tidal Wave now that these guns cannot be used to kill and maim people. Albany and Troy are much safer today than they were last week. This is what happens when federal, state and local law enforcement work together, which has been one of my top priorities since taking office five months ago.” FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli said, “This seizure, one of the largest ever recorded in our district, is the direct result of the tremendous partnerships displayed throughout Operation Tidal Wave. These guns will never make it into the hands of dangerous criminals looking to wreak havoc in our communities. The FBI is grateful to our partners for standing shoulder to shoulder with us in our shared goal of keeping our communities safe.” The conspiracy charges filed against both defendants carry a maximum term of 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. The firearm charge against Iziah Cox carries a maximum term of 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. Both defendants appeared in federal court in Albany earlier this week and were ordered detained pending trial by United States Magistrate Judge Paul J. Evangelista. Albany Police Chief Brendan Cox said, “Operation Tidal Wave represents our ongoing efforts to reduce gun violence. By seizing this large amount of illegal firearms, we have directly prevented these weapons from being used to harm our community. Each firearm removed from our streets is one less threat to our neighborhoods. The Albany Police Department is grateful for our partnerships we have with our federal, state and local agencies. Together, we are committed to protecting the public and holding offenders accountable.” Troy Police Chief Daniel DeWolf stated: “I’m thrilled and proud we took this many guns off the street, and also of the collaboration that led to these historic seizures. We are all working together to achieve our collective mission of reducing violent crime.” The FBI and its Albany Regional Financial Crimes Taskforce is investigating the cases, with assistance from Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the New York State Comptroller’s Office, the Albany County Sheriff’s Office, the Albany Police Department, the Troy Police Department, the New York State Police, and the Capital Region Crime Analysis Center and the New York State Intelligence Center. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua R. Rosenthal, Matthew M. Paulbeck, and Benjamin S. Clark are prosecuting the cases.


title: Texarkana felon charged with possessing child pornography  in the Eastern District of Texas

body_text: TYLER, Texas – A Texarkana, Texas convicted felon has been charged with federal child pornography violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. John Matthew Emerson, 41, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with possession of child pornography. The indictment alleges that Emerson, while on supervised release for a previous possession of child pornography conviction, was found with a cellular phone that contained images of child pornography. 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. Attorneys’ 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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. If convicted, Emerson faces up to 20 years in federal prison. This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Jackson. A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Mexican national, illegally living in Hallsville, indicted for unlawfully returning to the United States

body_text: TYLER, Texas – A Mexican national, illegally living in Hallsville, has been charged with unlawfully returning to the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Jorge Martinez-Abundis, 38, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. The indictment alleges that on February 14, 2025, Martinez-Abundis was found in the Eastern District of Texas after having been deported on at least four previous occasions. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). If convicted, Martinez-Abundis faces up to 20 years in federal prison and deportation. This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Richards. A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Honduran national, illegally living in Canton, indicted for unlawfully returning to the United States

body_text: TYLER, Texas – A Mexican national, illegally living in Canton, has been charged with unlawfully returning to the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Jefferson Funes-Mejia, 32, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. The indictment alleges that on April 16, 2025, Funes-Majia was found in the Eastern District of Texas after having been previously deported. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). If convicted, Funes-Mejia faces up to 10 years in federal prison and deportation. This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Noble. A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: California Man Pleads Guilty for Role in $15.9M COVID-19 Fraud Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A California man pleaded guilty yesterday for his role in a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration (SBA) out of $15.9 million in loans through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) programs. “The defendant orchestrated a scheme where he worked with purported business owners to submit dozens of loan applications to steal millions of dollars of Covid-19 relief funds,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The defendant’s egregious scheme relied on layers of deception to steal taxpayer money to buy himself luxury vehicles, residential properties, and jewelry. The Criminal Division remains dedicated to holding fraudsters who steal from the public fisc to account for their greed.” “The defendant in this case fraudulently obtained $15.9 million from federal funding programs intended to provide government relief to businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic and instead diverted vital relief funds for his own personal benefit,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Los Angeles Field Office. “IRS-CI is proud to partner with our federal law enforcement organizations to investigate and ensure relief funds are spent in accordance with their original intended purposes." “Exploiting pandemic relief meant for struggling Americans is not only morally reprehensible, it’s a betrayal of public trust,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “This defendant orchestrated a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme, weaponizing federal COVID-19 assistance programs for his personal gain. The FBI will always work to make sure those who steal from programs designed to help others are held accountable.” “The defendant in this case submitted dozens of fraudulent loan applications to obtain millions of dollars from government programs designed to assist struggling businesses during the pandemic,” said Special Agent in Charge Patricia Tarasca of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG), New York Region. “Today's guilty plea brings him to justice. The FDIC OIG remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who stole from COVID-19 relief programs in order to enrich themselves, and threatened the stability of our Nation's financial system.” “Providing false information to gain access to SBA programs intended for disaster victims is unacceptable,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Huang of the Small Business Association Office of Inspector General’s (SBA-OIG) Western Region. “OIG is focused on rooting out bad actors in these vital SBA programs. I want to thank the Department of Justice, and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and commitment to seeing justice served.” According to court documents, from April 2020 to April 2022, Emanuel Tucker, 45, of Canyon Lake, California, and other co-conspirators, submitted several dozen fraudulent PPP and EIDL loan applications on behalf of various companies that he owned and controlled. These applications contained material misrepresentations about the companies, including the number of employees, average monthly payroll, gross revenue, cost of goods, and supporting documents. The defendant used the fraudulently obtained funds to purchase a variety of luxury items, such as a Cadillac Escalade, a Bently Continental, and a Ferrari F8 Tributo, multiple million-dollar houses, and various jewelry, including a $63,000 diamond ring and a $400,000 diamond necklace. Tucker pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud. Tucker faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 4. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The IRS-CI, FBI, SBA-OIG, FDIC OIG, Federal Reserve Board Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Office of Inspector General, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and Department of Energy Office of Inspector General are investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Siji Moore and Kashan Pathan of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. Since the inception of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 200 defendants in more than 130 criminal cases and has seized over $78 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/ppp-fraud.


title: Chinese National Sentenced to Prison for Deploying Destructive Computer Code on Ohio-based Company’s Global Network

body_text: CLEVELAND - A Chinese national who inflicted severe damage to the computer network systems of a global corporation where he was formerly employed has been sentenced to prison. Davis Lu, 55, a citizen of China residing in Houston and authorized to legally work in the U.S., was sentenced to 48 months (four years) in prison by U.S. District Judge Pamela A. Barker Aug. 21. A federal jury convicted Lu in March of intentionally damaging protected computers for his role in creating destructive computer code that he deployed on his former employer’s network. He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment. Restitution is to be determined at a later date. “The defendant breached his employer’s trust by using his access and technical knowledge to sabotage company networks, wreaking havoc and causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses for a U.S. company,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “However, the defendant’s technical savvy and subterfuge did not save him from the consequences of his actions. The Criminal Division is committed to identifying and prosecuting those who attack U.S. companies, whether from within or without, to hold them responsible for their actions.” “The extreme chaos caused by just one person who used his creative mind and technical talents to thwart his employer’s business operations was not only disruptive – it was criminal. Those who weaponize their knowledge to inflict damage will be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio. “We would like to acknowledge and thank the FBI Cleveland Division for their incredible expertise in investigating computer crimes to bring criminals like Mr. Lu to justice.” According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Lu was employed as a software developer for the victim company headquartered in Beachwood, Ohio, from November 2007 to October 2019. In 2018, Lu began to sabotage his employer’s systems after a corporate realignment reduced his responsibilities and system access. By Aug. 4, 2019, he introduced malicious code that caused system crashes and prevented user logins. Specifically, he created what are known as “infinite loops,” that resulted in server crashes or hangs, making it unavailable to users. Lu also created code to delete coworker profiles, and implemented a “kill switch” that would lock out all users if his name was removed from the company’s directory. On Sept. 9, 2019, the kill switch was triggered when Lu was terminated from the company and his computer credentials were disabled. With the “kill switch” activated, thousands of company users were impacted globally. Lu named his kill switch code “IsDLEnabledinAD”, which was an abbreviation for “Is Davis Lu enabled in Active Directory.” Investigators learned that the defendant named another malware program “Hakai,” a Japanese word meaning “destruction,” and “HunShui,” a Chinese word meaning “sleep” or “lethargy.” Additionally, on the day he was directed to turn in his company laptop, Lu deleted encrypted data and ran a command that made the data unrecoverable by forensic software. His internet search history revealed he had researched methods to escalate privileges, hide processes, and rapidly delete files, indicating an intent to obstruct efforts of his co-workers to resolve the system disruptions. Lu’s employer suffered hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses as a result of his actions. "The FBI works relentlessly every day to ensure that cyber actors who deploy malicious code and harm American businesses face the consequences of their actions,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “I am proud of the FBI cyber team’s work which led to this sentencing and hope it sends a strong message to others who may consider engaging in similar unlawful activities. This case also underscores the importance of identifying insider threats early and highlights the need for proactive engagement with your local FBI field office to mitigate risks and prevent further harm.” The investigation leading to the indictment was conducted by the FBI Cleveland Division. “Davis Lu was intent on inflicting widescale damage to his employer with reckless disregard,” said FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen. “The FBI is committed to protecting businesses from cyber intrusions and crippling threats to their companies, not only from unknown attackers, but also when the criminal is a once-trusted employee whose skill and intellect was used for malicious purposes. We will continue to defend the homeland and its American businesses to identify and investigate cyber criminals who seek to harm companies, and we will bring them to justice.” Senior Counsel Candina S. Heath of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS), and Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel J. Riedl and Brian S. Deckert for the Northern District of Ohio, prosecuted the case. The Department of Justice’s CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.


title: Indian National Indicted for Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Eastern

body_text: Richard G. Frohling, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on August 19, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Roshan Shah (age: 21), a citizen of India who was in Canada pursuant to a student visa before entering the United States pursuant to a visitor’s visa. Shah was charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(h). According to the indictment and related criminal complaint, Shah traveled to different states and picked up cash and gold from various fraud victims. He then transferred those fraud proceeds to other members of the conspiracy. Shah was arrested after he attempted to pick up gold from fraud victims in New Berlin, Wisconsin. Unknown co-conspirators posing as law enforcement had convinced the victims that they were victims of a massive scheme in the United States and that they needed to transfer their assets to gold, which a courier would pick up and put in a safety deposit box in Washington, D.C., purportedly for safe keeping. The victims had previously given over $500,000 worth of gold to couriers the victims believed to be working with the federal government. This case was investigated by the New Berlin Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. The case will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary J. Corey. An indictment and a criminal complaint are not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. # # # For further information contact: Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero (414) 297-1700 Follow us on X


title: PENSACOLA MAN CHARGED FEDERALLY FOR POSSESSION OF A FIREARM BY A CONVICTED FELON DURING SHOOTING INCIDENT

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Michael Stephen Johnson, 58, of Pensacola, Florida, has been indicted in federal court for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charge. Johnson is scheduled for arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Hope T. Cannon at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida, on August 28, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. If convicted, Johnson faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison up to life imprisonment. The case is being jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer H. Callahan. An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Indictment Charges 3 Connecticut Residents Involved in Check Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, today announced that a federal grand jury in Bridgeport has returned an indictment charging MICHELLE FREEMAN, also known as “Thunder,” 37, of Waterbury, LESHANDA LONG, 43, of Hamden, and OMAR EADDY, 40, of Bridgeport, with participating in a stolen check and bank fraud scheme. As alleged in the indictment and court documents, Freeman, Long, and Eaddy engaged in a scheme that involved the theft of checks from mailboxes and the manipulation of the stolen checks to make them payable to individuals who served as “check runners.” The check runners would then cash the fraudulent checks and provide the cash to the conspirators. Freeman led the conspiracy and was responsible for counterfeiting the fraudulent checks, which were primarily drawn from small business accounts in Connecticut. Long and Eaddy recruited the check runners to cash the checks at banks and check cashing locations. The indictment, which was returned on August 20, 2025, charges Freeman, Long, and Eaddy with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years. Freeman, Long, and Eaddy were arrested on criminal complaints on May 6, 2025. They are each released on a $100,000 bond and are scheduled to be arraigned on August 26. U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Connecticut Organized Financial Fraud (CUT OFF) Task Force, which includes personnel from the Milford, Westport, Fairfield, West Haven, Stamford, West Hartford, and Bridgeport Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Boyles.


title: Law Enforcement Officers Honored for Investigations of Conspiracy to Murder Border Patrol Agents and Violent Gun Crime

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – R. Matthew Price, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, recognized six local and federal law enforcement officers for their work on significant investigations as recipients of the 2025 Guardian of Justice Award. The award recipients were honored on Aug. 21, 2025, during the 23rd Annual Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee Training Seminar in Springfield, Mo. The prestigious law enforcement award is presented annually by the Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent Isaac McPheeters was recognized for his investigation of two members of the self-styled 2nd American Militia who conspired to go “to war with border patrol.” The conspiracy to murder Border Patrol officers and immigrants was thwarted after one of the conspirators attempted to murder FBI agents by firing at them as they executed a search warrant on the eve of their planned trip to the United States – Mexico border. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent Jerry Wine, along with ATF Task Force Officers David Schroeder (Greene County Sheriff’s Office), Justin Gargus (Christian County Sheriff’s Office), Eric Pinegar (Springfield Police Department), and Evan Nicholson (Springfield Police Department) were recognized for their efforts in reducing violent gun crime and gang activity in the Springfield, Mo. area. “I would like to congratulate and commend the agents and task force officers for their effort on these investigations. As a result of their hard work and dedication, these violent individuals are off the streets and citizens of the Western District are safer,” said U.S. Attorney Price. Conspiracy to Murder Border Patrol After a two-week jury trial in October and November 2024, Bryan C. Perry, of Clarksville, Tenn., and Jonathan S. O’Dell, of Warsaw, Mo., were found guilty of their 2022 conspiracy to murder officers and employees of the United States government. They also were found guilty of seven counts of the attempted murder of FBI special agents, seven counts of assaulting FBI special agents with a deadly weapon, three counts of assaulting FBI special agents, 14 counts of using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and one count of damaging federal property. Perry was also found guilty of two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, one count of possessing body armor by a violent felon, and one count of threatening to injure another person. Additionally, O’Dell was found guilty of one count of threatening to injure another person and pleaded guilty to one count of illegally possessing a firearm while subject to a court order of protection, one count of making a false statement to a federal agent, and one count of escaping from custody. O’Dell and Perry are scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 26, 2025. Special Agent McPheeters coordinated with numerous local and federal agencies in Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas, at various stages of the complex investigation. When O’Dell escaped from custody in October 2023, Special Agent McPheeters and the FBI coordinated a wide-ranging search with numerous law enforcement agencies across the state of Missouri resulting in O’Dell’s apprehension within 48 hours. “Violence against law enforcement will not be tolerated and recognition of the work to stop these individuals from carrying out their planned attack is greatly appreciated. The FBI will do everything it can to ensure the safety and security of all law enforcement from danger,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen Cyrus. Springfield Area Gun Violence In November 2021, the ATF started investigating numerous shooting incidents including drive-by shootings and homicides in the Springfield, Mo., area involving juveniles and young adults. The shootings were in neighborhoods or crowded areas, endangering innocent citizens. Using crime gun data, social media profiles, and police reports, the ATF was able to identify multiple suspects responsible for the uptick in violent firearms offenses in the area. To date, approximately seven homicides and multiple drive-by shootings have been linked to these groups and their activities. Many of the shooting suspects were identified as gang members and/or rappers. The primary gangs involved in these shootings were “F**k The Opps” (FTO) and “Only Da Brothers” (ODB). ATF’s investigations into the gangs have included street investigations, surveillance operations, search warrants, adoption of state firearm cases, examining federal firearm licensee paperwork, analyzing crime gun data, close coordination with local law enforcement and other federal law enforcement agencies, studying and understanding these gangs/groups, their associations and their social media, tracing firearms, submitting firearms to local crime laboratories and the ATF’s Firearms & Ammunition Technology Division, and directly assisting in local violent crime and homicide investigations. The ATF has provided vigorous trial support and have testified extensively at sentencing hearings. As a result of the ATF’s investigation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has indicted numerous gang members or associates, including the two identified leaders of FTO, Ezekiel King and Jardell Williams, both of Springfield, Mo. King and Williams were each sentenced to 78 months in federal prison. Of the gang members indicted, nine have been sentenced to federal prison, two were sentenced to supervised release, and nine are pending sentencing after pleading guilty. The indictment of multiple members of FTO and ODB has coincided with a sharp drop in shooting calls in the Greene County, Mo., area. “This case is the gold standard for what can be accomplished when federal, state, and local law enforcement work side by side to confront violent crime,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bernard Hansen. “By leveraging our collective resources through a task force, and utilizing crime gun intelligence tools such as NIBIN, we delivered prison sentences for those violent gang members who threatened the safety of our communities and a significant reduction in crime.” Guardian of Justice Award The annual Guardian of Justice Award recognizes a state or local officer as well as a federal agent for investigative excellence, selfless collaboration, tireless trial support, commendable diligence and professionalism, and noteworthy assistance to prosecution. The prestigious law enforcement award is presented by the Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee each year during the law enforcement training seminar.


title: Former Noel Man Pleads Guilty to Kidnapping Resulting in Death

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Somali national pleaded guilty in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of kidnapping resulting in death. Mahamud Tooxoow Mahamed, 43, who was a permanent resident alien in the United States, residing in Noel, Mo., at the time of the kidnapping, admitted to kidnapping J.M., which resulted in her death. J.M.’s body was discovered on July 29, 2019, near Missouri Highway 59 between Lanagan, Mo., and Noel, after an individual reported observing a pink suitcase in a roadside ditch with feet sticking out. Law enforcement located J.M.’s severely decomposed body lying next to the pink suitcase. A salesclerk from the African Grocery Store in Noel later reported that Mahamed had purchased a pink suitcase sometime before J.M.’s body was discovered. J.M. was last seen alive on July 16, 2019, when law enforcement officers responded to a call at her home. J.M. reported to 911 that Mahamed had held her at knife point and tried to force her to have sexual intercourse with him. J.M. repeatedly told the 911 operator that she was worried Mahamed would harm her three young children who were in the apartment with him. The children were identified in court documents as Jane Doe 1 (four years old), Jane Doe 2 (two years old), and Jane Doe 3 (six months old). J.M. and her children were reported missing on July 17, 2019, after attempts to contact J.M. on the phone and in-person failed. On approximately July 28, 2019, or July 29, 2019, Mahamed called his cousin and told her he was bringing J.M.’s children to her in Minnesota. When she asked why he was bringing the children, Mahamed noted that something bad had happened and he could be in trouble. J.M.’s children were located at a residence in Des Moines, Iowa, and taken into state custody on Aug. 8, 2019. The reporting party told law enforcement officers that Mahamed arrived at her Des Moines residence with the children on Aug. 5, 2019. She discovered Mahamed had left in the early morning hours on Aug. 8, 2019, without the children. After abandoning the children in Iowa, Mahamed left the United States and was a fugitive from justice until he was located and expelled from Guatemala on July 27, 2021. He has been detained in federal custody since his return to the United States. DNA analysis confirmed that the body was J.M.’s and her blood was discovered on multiple items recovered from a vehicle utilized by Mahamed. Under federal statutes, Mahamed is subject to a sentence of up to a life term in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the FBI, the McDonald County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Rochester, Minn., Police Department, and the Des Moines, Iowa, Police Department.


title: Grandview Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Grandview, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm. John L. Arrocha, 50, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 5 years in federal prison without parole. On Jan. 29, 2025, Arrocha pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. On June 2, 2024, Kansas City, Missouri Police officers were called to a business in the 4300 block of Main Street, Kansas City, Mo., on a reported trespasser causing a disturbance. Upon arrival, officers encountered Arrocha, who refused to leave the business property. As officers attempted to arrest Arrocha for trespassing, Arrocha resisted while making threats to kill the officers that were arresting him. During a search of Arrocha following arrest, officers found a North American Arms, Guardian .380 caliber pistol which had been reported stolen out of Claycomo, Mo. A criminal history check revealed that Arrocha was a convicted felon. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo. Police Department. Project Safe Neighborhoods This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Nearly $4 Million in Grants

component: Office on Violence Against Women

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – The Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin joins the U.S. Department of Justice and the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) in announcing grants provided to combat violent crimes against women and to develop and strengthen victim services in cases involving domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. The Wisconsin Department of Justice received $3,030,186 for the STOP (Services, Training, Officers, Prosecutors) Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program. It was authorized by the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) of 1994 and reauthorized by subsequent legislation. The STOP Formula Grant Program encourages partnerships between law enforcement, prosecution, courts, and victim services organizations to enhance victim safety and hold offenders accountable in cases of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. The goal of the grant program is to develop and strengthen law enforcement, prosecution, and court strategies to combat violent crimes against women and to develop and strengthen victim services, including community based, culturally specific services, in cases involving domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. The Wisconsin Department of Justice received $954,705 for the Sexual Assault Services Formula Program (SAS Formula Program). It was created by the Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005 (VAWA 2005), 34 U.S.C. § 12511. The SAS Formula Program directs grant dollars to states and territories to assist them in supporting rape crisis centers and nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations that provide core services, direct intervention, and related assistance to victims of sexual assault, regardless of age. Funds provided through the SAS Formula Program are designed to supplement other funding sources directed at addressing sexual assault on the state and territorial levels. Rape crisis centers and other nonprofit organizations, such as dual programs providing domestic violence and sexual assault intervention services, play a vital role in assisting sexual assault victims through the healing process, as well as assisting victims through the medical, criminal justice, and other social support systems.


title: Gambian Man, First Non-U.S. National Convicted of Torture, Sentenced to Over 67 Years in Prison

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: WASHINGTON — Michael Sang Correa, 46, was sentenced today to 67 years and six months in prison after being convicted in the District of Colorado of one count of conspiracy to commit torture and five counts of torture. Correa’s actions included burning victims’ flesh with molten plastic and subjecting them to repeated, vicious beatings over the course of weeks using a variety of weapons. “Today, Michael Correa has finally been held accountable for the brutal violence he inflicted on others,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division. “The United States will not be a safe haven for individuals who seek to conceal their egregious human rights violations. We are proud to have worked with our law enforcement partners to secure this sentence, and we thank the brave victims whose testimony helped ensure that justice is done.” “The victims of these crimes carried the weight of unimaginable suffering for years, not knowing whether they would ever see their torturer held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Peter McNeilly for the District of Colorado. “Today’s sentence delivers a measure of justice for them and affirms that the United States stands firmly with those whose human rights have been violated. This prosecution and sentence should serve as a deterrent for criminals who think they might escape accountability by coming to Colorado.” “Mr. Correa’s crimes were barbaric and uncivilized; they have no place in the modern world,” said Special Agent in Charge Steve Cagen of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Denver. “I hope this sentence can bring some kind of closure for his victims and their families. A standard was set with this trial and sentencing, Homeland Security Investigations will hunt down and bring to justice those that commit these horrific crimes.” Evidence presented at trial showed that Correa served in an armed unit known as the “Junglers,” which reported to The Gambia’s former President, Yahya Jammeh. The jury found that, as a Jungler, Correa conspired with others to commit torture and personally tortured five victims, who were targeted based on suspicions that they had plotted against Jammeh. In today’s proceedings, several victims described the lasting physical and psychological harm that they have suffered as a result of Correa’s actions. In March 2006, shortly after a failed coup attempt, Correa and his co-conspirators transported the victims to Mile 2 Prison, the main prison in The Gambia. Over the following weeks, the victims endured severe abuse, including beatings, stabbings, burnings, and electrocutions. One victim testified that his thigh was burned with molten plastic and that he was suspended in a bag and dropped to the ground. Another victim described being suffocated with a plastic bag over his head and having the barrel of a pistol placed in his mouth. Other victims testified to being electrocuted, beaten while hung upside down, struck in the head with a hammer or pistol, and burned with cigarettes. Testimony at trial established Correa played a central role in carrying out these acts of torture. Ten years after these crimes, Correa obtained a visa and entered the United States in December 2016. He evaded apprehension until 2019, when ICE arrested him and placed him in removal proceedings. He was charged with torture in 2020. This is the first conviction of a non-U.S. national on federal torture charges. The HSI Denver Field Office investigated the case, with support from HSI agents in Senegal, as well as personnel at the U.S. Embassy in Banjul, The Gambia, and the FBI Legal Attaché in Senegal. The Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC) significantly supported the case. Established in 2009, the HRVWCC furthers the government’s efforts to identify, locate, and prosecute human rights abusers in the United States, including those who are known or suspected to have participated in persecution, war crimes, genocide, torture, extrajudicial killings, female genital mutilation, and the use or recruitment of child soldiers. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Hindman and Chief of the Cybercrime and National Security Section Laura Cramer-Babycz for the District of Colorado and Acting Principal Deputy Chief Christina Giffin and Trial Attorney Marie Zisa of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) prosecuted the case, with assistance from HRSP Historian/Analyst Dr. Christopher Hayden. Members of the public who have information about former human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact U.S. law enforcement through the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (1-866-347-2423) or internationally at 001-1802-872-6199. They can also email HRV.ICE@ice.dhs.gov or complete its online tip form at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp .


title: Florida Man Sentenced to Over Six Years for Witness Retaliation Assault

body_text: A Florida man was sentenced today to six years and 10 months in prison for assaulting an individual in retaliation for testimony that the victim provided during the assailant’s trial for his involvement in a home invasion robbery scheme. “Instead of accepting responsibility for his criminal conduct that resulted in a 47-year sentence, St Felix physically attacked and berated a trial witness,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Witness retaliation threatens the very foundation of our justice system, which relies on truthful witness testimony. We will aggressively prosecute any attempt to retaliate against federal witnesses.” “Retaliation against witnesses, no matter when or where it occurs, will not be tolerated. And individuals who assault government witnesses should expect prosecution and punishment,” said U.S. Attorney Clifton T. Barrett for the Middle District of North Carolina. “I commend the agents, attorneys, and USAO staff for their commitment and excellent work on cases stemming from this series of internationally organized home invasions.” “St Felix tried to silence the very process that held him accountable,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “Retaliating against a witness strikes at the heart of the justice system. Those who think they can silence or intimidate witnesses will quickly learn the FBI will come after them.” “St Felix led a ring of violent cryptocurrency thieves and when he was sentenced to 47 years, he physically attacked a trial witness, cowardly choosing to blame someone else for his crimes,” said Special Agent in Charge James C. Barnacle Jr. of the FBI Charlotte Field Office. “This additional prison time means he will likely be in his 70s before possibly walking free again. While we know his victims will never fully recover, we hope this sentence provides them some sense of justice.” Remy Ra St Felix, 25, of West Palm Beach, pleaded guilty in the Middle District of North Carolina on May 6 to one count of retaliation against a witness for testimony in a criminal trial. St Felix was charged in a nine-count superseding indictment for crimes stemming from a scheme to steal cryptocurrency during home invasion robberies. St Felix elected to go to trial and was found guilty on all counts . St Felix was subsequently sentenced to 47 years in prison. For this additional sentence, 36 months are to run concurrent to the current sentence and 46 months are to run consecutive to it. In addition to his sentence of incarceration, St Felix was sentenced to five years of supervised release. According to court documents, the United States called a witness (“Witness-1”) at St Felix’s trial who testified about St Felix’s involvement in the home invasion robbery scheme. On Oct. 8, 2024, after St Felix had been sentenced, Witness-1 was seated, restrained with leg shackles, a belly chain, and handcuffs, in the “booking area” of a Detention Center in Greensboro, North Carolina. St Felix was allowed out of a holding cell in the same area and assaulted Witness-1 with a series of punches, striking Witness-1 in the face, head, and body. While assaulting Witness-1, St Felix called Witness-1 a “rat” and told Witness-1 that he was responsible for St Felix’s 47-year sentence. That evening, St Felix called his mother and his girlfriend and gloated about assaulting Witness-1. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Trial Attorney Brian Mund of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Iverson for the Middle District of North Carolina prosecuted the case. CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.


title: Guatemalan Man Sentenced for Harboring an Illegal Alien Who Crossed from Canada into the United States

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Guatemalan national was sentenced for bringing in and harboring an illegal alien, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. Esdras Aaron Calel-Cumes, 30, a Guatemalan man unlawfully residing in Massachusetts, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Joseph Laplante to time served. Calel-Cumes is in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody for deportation to Guatemala. Calel-Cumes’ co-defendant Xiloj-Ambrocio was charged with one count of illegal entry and deported back to Guatemala. “Individuals who cross our borders illegally will be held accountable. This case demonstrates our ongoing commitment to supporting our law enforcement partners along New Hampshire’s northern border,” said U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan. “We will continue to bring federal prosecutions when appropriate to protect the integrity of our borders and the safety of our communities.” “We will continue to vigorously patrol the New Hampshire/Canada border to interdict and investigate smuggling cases like this one,” said Acting Patrol Agent in Charge William Laymon of the Beecher Falls, VT Border Patrol Station. “Illegal entry and alien smuggling are federal crimes, and we will seek criminal prosecution on those who commit them.” On September 9, 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection detected Calel-Cumes’ co-defendant, Luis Felipe Xiloj-Ambrocio, crossing illegally from Canada to the United States in Pittsburg, New Hampshire. Calel-Cumes traveled from Massachusetts to pick up Xiloj-Ambrocio. At the time of their apprehension by law enforcement, Calel-Cumes and Xiloj-Ambrocio were driving south on U.S. Route 3. U.S. Customs and Border Protection led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen prosecuted the case. This effort is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). ###


title: Dominican Republic Man Pleads Guilty for Role in a Fentanyl and Cocaine Trafficking Conspiracy

body_text: CONCORD – A Dominican man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in connection with a drug trafficking organization distributing large quantities of fentanyl and cocaine, United States Attorney Erin Creegan announces. Raynerson Marcos De La Paz Matos, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Landya McCafferty scheduled sentencing for December 2, 2025. According to court documents, law enforcement purchased fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine from the drug trafficking organization in Manchester on 10 occasions. These purchases resulted in the total seizure of more than 350 grams of fentanyl, more than 40 grams of cocaine, and more than 25 grams of crack cocaine. On September 11, 2024, law enforcement searched two residences on Cilley Road and Dubuque Street in Manchester. The search of the Cilley Road residence yielded a total of more than 1,600 grams of fentanyl, more than 480 grams of cocaine, and drug proceeds totaling $4,675. The search of the Dubuque Street residence yielded drug proceeds totaling $54,370 and assorted jewelry with an estimated value of $161,675. The charging statute provides a sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five (5) years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $10,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Manchester Police Department led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cesar A. Vega is prosecuting the case. This effort is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). ###


title: San Diego Man Sentenced to More Than 21 Years for Sexual Exploitation of 14-Year-Old Girl

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Eric Jin of San Diego was sentenced in federal court today to 262 months in prison for sexually exploiting a 14-year-old girl by directing her to produce child sex abuse material. Jin was indicted on May 15, 2024, and pleaded guilty in October 2024, admitting he ordered the young victim to take sexually graphic pictures of herself without clothing in December 2022 and again in February 2023. The girl did as Jin directed. Also in February 2023, Jin ordered the victim to carve his first name, “Eric,” into her skin and send him a photo. The victim again did as Jin directed. Jin knew the victim was 14 years old. Jin also admitted in his plea agreement that he possessed and sent pictures to the girl via his cell phone of other minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. At today’s hearing, U.S. District Judge Jinsook Ohta told the defendant that his “truly hurtful and evil actions on young children …defies adequate description.” “Mr. Jin managed to exploit a vulnerable child despite the parents’ diligent efforts to protect her,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “This office will do everything legally possible to achieve justice for children and hold predators like the defendant accountable.” “Today’s sentence demonstrates the seriousness with which the FBI takes crimes-against-children investigations,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Dargis of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “Jin coerced heinous activity from an innocent 14-year-old girl, unconscionable demands no child should ever have to endure. The FBI will continue to do everything within our authorities to hold accountable those who sexually exploit children, vigorously investigating such actions to protect the most vulnerable in our community.” According to the FBI, the most important advice for parents is to have open and ongoing conversations about safe and appropriate online behavior. Educate yourself about the websites, software, games, and apps that your children use. Immediately report any inappropriate contact between an adult and your child to law enforcement or your local FBI field office. You can also call the FBI at 1-800-CALL FBI (800-225-5324) or submit a report online at tips.fbi.gov. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Sherwood and Katie Grammenidis. DEFENDANT Case Number 24cr1071-JO Eric Jin Age: 31 San Diego, CA SUMMARY OF CHARGES Sexual Exploitation of a Minor – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 2251(a) and (e) Maximum penalty: Thirty years in prison, with a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and a $500,000 fine INVESTIGATING AGENCY Federal Bureau of Investigation


title: Gambian Man, First Non-U.S. National Convicted of Torture, Sentenced to More Than 67 Years in Prison

body_text: Michael Sang Correa, 46, was sentenced today to 810 months in prison by Senior Judge Christine M. Arguello for the District of Colorado after being convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit torture and five counts of torture. Correa’s actions included burning victims’ flesh with molten plastic and subjecting them to repeated, vicious beatings over the course of weeks using a variety of weapons. “Today, Michael Correa has finally been held accountable for the brutal violence he inflicted on others,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division. “The United States will not be a safe haven for individuals who seek to conceal their egregious human rights violations. We are proud to have worked with our law enforcement partners to secure this sentence, and we thank the brave victims whose testimony helped ensure that justice is done.” “The victims of these crimes carried the weight of unimaginable suffering for years, not knowing whether they would ever see their torturer held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Peter McNeilly for the District of Colorado. “Today’s sentence delivers a measure of justice for them and affirms that the United States stands firmly with those whose human rights have been violated. This prosecution and sentence should serve as a deterrent for criminals who think they might escape accountability by coming to Colorado.” “Mr. Correa’s crimes were barbaric and uncivilized; they have no place in the modern world,” said Special Agent in Charge Steve Cagen of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Denver. “I hope this sentence can bring some kind of closure for his victims and their families. A standard was set with this trial and sentencing, Homeland Security Investigations will hunt down and bring to justice those that commit these horrific crimes.” Evidence presented at trial showed that Correa served in an armed unit known as the “Junglers,” which reported to The Gambia’s former President, Yahya Jammeh. The jury found that, as a Jungler, Correa conspired with others to commit torture and personally tortured five victims, who were targeted based on suspicions that they had plotted against Jammeh. In today’s proceedings, several victims described the lasting physical and psychological harm that they have suffered as a result of Correa’s actions. In March 2006, shortly after a failed coup attempt, Correa and his co-conspirators transported the victims to Mile 2 Prison, the main prison in The Gambia. Over the following weeks, the victims endured severe abuse, including beatings, stabbings, burnings, and electrocutions. One victim testified that his thigh was burned with molten plastic and that he was suspended in a bag and dropped to the ground. Another victim described being suffocated with a plastic bag over his head and having the barrel of a pistol placed in his mouth. Other victims testified to being electrocuted, beaten while hung upside down, struck in the head with a hammer or pistol, and burned with cigarettes. Testimony at trial established Correa played a central role in carrying out these acts of torture. Ten years after these crimes, Correa obtained a visa and entered the United States in December 2016. He evaded apprehension until 2019, when ICE arrested him and placed him in removal proceedings. He was charged with torture in 2020. This is the first conviction of a non-U.S. national on federal torture charges. The HSI Denver Field Office investigated the case, with support from HSI agents in Senegal, as well as personnel at the U.S. Embassy in Banjul, The Gambia, and the FBI Legal Attaché in Senegal. The Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC) significantly supported the case. Established in 2009, the HRVWCC furthers the government’s efforts to identify, locate, and prosecute human rights abusers in the United States, including those who are known or suspected to have participated in persecution, war crimes, genocide, torture, extrajudicial killings, female genital mutilation, and the use or recruitment of child soldiers. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Hindman and Chief of the Cybercrime and National Security Section Laura Cramer-Babycz for the District of Colorado and Acting Principal Deputy Chief Christina Giffin and Trial Attorney Marie Zisa of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) prosecuted the case, with assistance from HRSP Historian/Analyst Dr. Christopher Hayden. Members of the public who have information about former human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact U.S. law enforcement through the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (1-866-347-2423) or internationally at 001-1802-872-6199. They can also email HRV.ICE@ice.dhs.gov or complete its online tip form at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp .


title: SDTX files a whopping 372 new cases this week as part of ongoing Operation Take Back America efforts

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – A total of 376 people have been charged from Aug. 15-21 in continuing efforts to secure the southern border, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. The filed cases include 18 people allegedly involved in human smuggling. A total of 206 more are charged with illegally entering the country, while another 150 face charges of felony reentry after removal. Most of those foreign nationals have prior felonies involving narcotics, violent crime, immigration offenses and more. Other relevant cases charged this week relate to other immigration crimes. One of those charged this week in Laredo includes Kenneth Gamboa . On Aug. 15, Gamboa allegedly drove a box truck hiding 40 illegal aliens to a Border Patrol checkpoint in Jim Hogg County. The investigation revealed a false wall in the storage area of the vehicle that had created a hidden compartment, according to the complaint. The charges allege it had multiple boards screwed shut to prevent the individuals from being able to get out on their own. A total of 26 of the illegal aliens are now also charged with illegal reentry after removal. Gamboa faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted of human smuggling. A McAllen criminal complaint charges four more people, two of whom are illegal aliens themselves, for their alleged involvement in an alien smuggling ring in Hidalgo County. Rio Grande Valley residents Enrique Gonzalez and Rigoberto Esteban Perez-Cruz and Mexican nationals Erick Vallejo-Zapata and Mirza Garcia-Zapata allegedly harbored illegal aliens at residences. Gonzalez, Vallejo-Zapata and Garcia-Zapata are also alleged to have transported the aliens, who were from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Ecuador and India, and who face their own immigration charges as a result of the investigation. Another illegal alien facing charges this week is Mexican national Carlos Alberto Garza-Garcia, who authorities allegedly discovered unlawfully in the United States near Hidalgo. According to court documents, he was previously removed just this year - May 29 - and has a prior conviction for illegal reentry. Criminal complaints also allege Mexican nationals Magdaleno Valadez-Ortiz, Luis Gustavo Ramos-Ibarra and Esvan Gonzalez-Manzano had been previously removed from the country on various dates between 2018-2023. However, all were allegedly found in the Rio Grande Valley this week. Gonzalez-Manzano has a prior conviction for illegal reentry, while Valadez-Ortiz and Ramos-Ibarra both have prior convictions of drug-related crimes, according to their charges. If convicted of felony illegal reentry after removal as charged, all four face up to 20 years in prison. In addition to the new cases, Honduran national Elmer Leonel Ramos-Agurcia was sentenced to federal prison after assaulting law enforcement agents as he attempted to unlawfully enter the country. On April 15, he arrived at the Brownsville & Matamoros port of entry. He did not have any documentation and was denied entry. He tackled an agent and ran towards the bridge where he jumped over the fence towards the Rio Grande. Authorities conducted a foot pursuit. As they attempted to arrest him, Ramos-Agurcia bit one agent and reached for the other’s holster. The court ordered he serve 18 months in prison and warned him his sentence would increase if he reentered illegally and committed further crimes. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners. The 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 and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood . Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes. An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Vacaville Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: Armond Bass, 40, of Vacaville, pleaded guilty Thursday to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to court documents, on two days in October 2024, Bass possessed and sold illegal firearms and ammunition in the parking lot of a softball field in the city of Vacaville. On the first day, October 23, Bass sold an AR-15-style privately manufactured firearm and more than 200 rounds of ammunition. Less than a week later, Bass returned, this time to sell a Colt M16 semi-automatic rifle. Bass is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to his multiple prior felony convictions, including two felony convictions for domestic violence. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Vacaville Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Campbell is prosecuting the case. Bass is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta on Dec. 11, 2025. Bass faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.