title: Guatemalan Man Unlawfully in the U.S. and Previously Convicted of Sexual Battery Pleads Guilty to Encouraging and Inducing an Unaccompanied Alien Child and to Fraudulently Obtaining Custody of the Child

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A Guatemalan national unlawfully residing in the United States and previously convicted of sexual battery pleaded guilty today in federal court in Cleveland to encouraging and inducing an unaccompanied alien child (UAC) to illegally enter the United States and to submitting a sponsorship application with false statements to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to gain custody of the UAC. “This defendant directed a 14-year-old child to commit criminal conduct and then obtained custody of the child by defrauding a government program intended to help vulnerable children,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Through Joint Task Force Alpha, the Criminal Division is fully committed to prosecuting those who take advantage of children and lie to undermine the integrity of government programs. We will strive to end the exploitation of these children and stop the manipulation of government programs by fraudsters, smugglers, and others engaged in serious criminal conduct.” “Mr. Tiul Xi engaged in layers of deception. Committing one federal crime after another, he showed no regard or respect for this girl’s human dignity,” said U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio. “We greatly appreciate the dedication of the investigative teams with Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Cleveland FBI, to protect minors from being victimized by the likes of these ruthless individuals.” According to court documents, 26-year-old Juan Tiul Xi helped a 14-year-old female Guatemalan UAC enter the United States illegally with the permission of her family. Tiul Xi helped the UAC and her family find someone from whom the family could borrow money to pay a “coyote” to transport the UAC to the United States. Tiul Xi instructed the UAC to use the name and birth certificate of Tiul Xi’s minor sister to enter the United States so that Tiul Xi could falsely state in his UAC sponsorship application that he was the UAC’s brother. Tiul Xi then made these false representations in an application that he signed under the penalty of perjury. ORR relied on Tiul Xi’s misrepresentations, approved his application to sponsor the UAC, and released the UAC to Tiul Xi’s care in September 2023. Tiul Xi was indicted on April 17, 2025, and pleaded guilty today to all counts: one count of encouraging or inducing illegal entry for the purpose of financial gain; one count of making a false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement; and one count of aggravated identity theft. Tiul Xi faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison on the illegal-entry count, up to five years in prison on the false-statement count, and a mandatory consecutive two-year sentence on the aggravated-identity-theft count. Tiul Xi’s sentencing is scheduled to take place on March 19, 2026. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The investigation and indictment were coordinated and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant United States Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/ HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 425 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 375 U.S. convictions; more than 325 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets. ICE HSI and FBI Cleveland field offices jointly led the investigation with assistance from HSI’s Attaché team in Guatemala. Additionally, HSI’s Center for Countering Human Trafficking in Washington, D.C., and ORR have provided valuable assistance. Acting Deputy Chief Christian Levesque of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, Joint Task Force Alpha detailee/Trial Attorney Spencer M. Perry of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney/Senior Litigation Counsel Carol Skutnik and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael L. Collyer for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case, with assistance from HRSP Analyst/Latin America Specialist Joanna Crandall.


title: Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Failure to Register

component: USAO - Alabama, Northern

body_text: ANNISTON, Ala. – A Colbert County man was sentenced on a felony charge for violating the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona. U.S. District Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced Michael Shane McDaniel, 57, of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, to 24 months in prison followed by eight years of supervised release. In June, McDaniel pleaded guilty to failing to register or update his registration as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). According to court documents, McDaniel was convicted in 2011 of child molestation in Marion Superior Court in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is required to register as a sex offender under SORNA. Following his conviction, McDaniel registered as a sex offender in Indiana where he resided. In June 2024, and continuing through December 2024, McDaniel moved from Indiana to Alabama and failed to register as a sex offender in Alabama. The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 implemented SORNA and established a comprehensive national system for the registration of sex offenders to protect the public. The Act requires anyone convicted of specified crimes to register with the national sex offender registry. The U.S. Marshals Service for the Northern District of Alabama investigated the case along with the U.S. Marshals Service for the Southern District of Indiana, the U.S. Marshals Service Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force, the Hendricks County Sheriff’s Office (Indiana), and the Colbert County Sheriff’s Office (Alabama). Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Leann White prosecuted the case. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s 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, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov .


title: Former Harford County Sheriff’s Office Detective Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of Two Children

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – Ryan Christopher Hall, 50, of Woodstock, Maryland, pled guilty today, to sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child sexual abuse material charges in federal court. Hall is a former domestic violence detective who served 27 years with the Harford County Sheriff’s Office. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Acting Special Agent in Charge Evan Campanella, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Baltimore; Carroll County State’s Attorney Haven N. Shoemaker, Jr.; Sheriff James T. DeWees, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office; and Sheriff Jeff Gahler, Harford County Sheriff’s Office. According to court documents, from May 2017 thru October 2024, Hall sexually abused two minor children. Authorities discovered that Hall installed cameras to produce child sexual abuse material and possessed child sexual abuse material. Additionally, Hall is facing related charges for child sexual abuse in the Carroll County Circuit Court. Hall faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years, and a maximum sentence of 30 years, in federal prison for each count of sexual exploitation of a child. He also is subject to lifetime supervised release and lifetime registration as a sex offender. U.S. District Judge Brendan A. Hurson scheduled sentencing for Tuesday, March 3, 2026, at 2 p.m. 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 the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc . Learn more about Internet safety education by clicking on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page. Know2Protect is a Department of Homeland Security national public awareness campaign to educate and empower children, teens, parents, trusted adults and policymakers to prevent and combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse ; explain how to report online enticement and victimization; and offer resources for victims and survivors and their supporters. Learn more about Know2Protect at www.dhs.gov/know2protect . U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI, the Carroll County State’s Attorney’s Office Special Victims Unit, and Carroll County Sheriff’s Office Crimes Against Children Unit for their combined effort and work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn who is prosecuting the federal case. For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Massachusetts Woman Pleads Guilty To Trafficking Stolen Human Remains

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Katrina Maclean, age 46, of Bradford, Massachusetts, pled guilty today before Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann to interstate transport of stolen human remains. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Maclean admitted that, from 2018 through 2022, she bought human remains that she knew to have been stolen from Harvard Medical School and transported them from Massachusetts to Pennsylvania. Maclean also sold stolen human remains to others, including Jeremy Pauley, who previously entered a guilty plea to a felony information. From 2018 through 2022, Cedric Lodge, who managed the morgue for the Anatomical Gifts Program at Harvard Medical School, located in Boston, Massachusetts, stole organs and other parts of cadavers donated for medical research and education before their scheduled cremations. Lodge at times transported stolen remains from Boston to his residence in Goffstown, New Hampshire, where he and his wife, Denise Lodge, sold the remains to Katrina Maclean, and others, making arrangements via cellular telephone and social media websites. On some occasions, Maclean transported stolen remains to Pennsylvania. Several other defendants have previously entered guilty pleas, including Jeremy Pauley, Cedric Lodge, Denise Lodge, Joshua Taylor, Andrew Ensanian, Matthew Lampi, and Angelo Pereyra. Lampi was sentenced to 15 months in prison and Pereyra was sentenced to 18 months. Cedric Lodge, Denise Lodge, Joshua Taylor and Andrew Ensanian are still awaiting sentencing. Additionally, Candace Chapman-Scott, who stole remains from an Arkansas crematorium where she was employed and sold them to Pauley in Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty in Arkansas federal court and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the East Pennsboro Township Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan V. Martin is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. # # #


title: Beaver Falls Resident Sentenced for Theft of Social Security Benefits

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 3 years’ probation plus 7 days intermittent confinement on his conviction of theft of government property, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan imposed the sentence on Nicholas T. Grimes, 31. According to information presented to the Court, following the death of a Title II Social Security benefits recipient, Grimes began stealing that person’s Social Security retirement benefits, beginning as early as 2014. Grimes stole benefits totaling approximately $216,779 by negotiating the benefits from the deceased’s account through ATM transactions. Grimes has also been ordered to pay the full restitution of $216,779 to the Social Security Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Melucci prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. First Assistant United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General and the United States Postal Inspection Service for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Grimes.


title: Illinois Man Admits Committing Bank Fraud with Stolen Checks

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from Waukegan, Illinois on Monday admitted traveling to Missouri and other states to open fraudulent bank accounts and deposit checks that had been stolen from the U.S. Mail. Terry Carter-Kilgore, 28, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of bank fraud. Between December 2022 and August 2024, Carter-Kilgore bought or otherwise obtained checks that had been stolen from the mail. He then used fraudulent driver’s licenses with his picture and the personal information of others and fake business documents to open unauthorized bank accounts in Missouri and other states in names matching those on the stolen checks. Carter-Kilgore would then deposit or try to deposit the stolen checks into the unauthorized bank accounts. He deposited or attempted to deposit at least six stolen checks totaling $214,935. On Dec. 21, 2022, Carter-Kilgore deposited a stolen $36,373 check into an account at a bank in Florissant, Missouri, using a fake driver’s license. Over a year later, on Aug. 20, 2024, Carter-Kilgore opened an unauthorized bank account in Lee’s Summit, Missouri and tried to deposit a stolen check using a fraudulent Georgia driver’s license. Suspicious bank personnel called the Lee’s Summit Police Department. When police arrived, Carter-Kilgore ran away but was found hiding under the deck of a nearby home. He admitted to police that he attempted to deposit a stolen check using a false driver’s license. He also said he’d bought both check and ID in Chicago. Carter-Kilgore is scheduled to be sentenced on March 9, 2026. Bank fraud carries a potential prison sentence of up to 30 years, a fine of up to $1,000,000, or both prison and a fine. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Lee’s Summit Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow is prosecuting the case.


title: New Britain Woman Admits Importing and Selling Counterfeit Goods

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England, announced that MELISSA CRUZ, 37, of New Britain, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to an offense stemming from her participation in a conspiracy to import and sell counterfeit goods. According to court documents and statements made in court, between 2021 and 2024, Cruz conspired with others to sell counterfeit clothing, luxury and designer handbags and purses, and jewelry bearing counterfeit trademarks to customers across the U.S., some of which she imported from outside the U.S. She used Facebook to conduct live shows during which she showcased, advertised, and sold the counterfeit goods. In total, Cruz and her co-conspirators made more than $4 million in gross sales for the counterfeit merchandise through various electronic peer-to-peer payment services including CashApp, Paypal, and Venmo. Between March 2022 and March 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized multiple international parcels containing dozens of counterfeit handbags from Thailand, China, and Hong Kong that were addressed to Cruz’s residence in New Britain. On December 19, 2024, law enforcement conducted a court-authorized search of the residence and seized nearly 2,000 units of counterfeit goods. Cruz each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to willfully infringe a copyright, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of one year. She is released on her own recognizance pending sentencing, which is scheduled for March 12. This investigation is being conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the assistance of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Gordon.


title: New York Man Convicted of Hobbs Act Extortion

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: Today, a federal jury in Brooklyn convicted Robert Brooke of one count of Hobbs Act extortion. From at least November 2019 to January 2020, the defendant violently extorted the owners of a demolition company of thousands of dollars, purportedly to satisfy a disputed debt. The verdict was returned after a three-day trial before United States District Judge Frederic Block. Brooke was acquitted of Hobbs Act extortion conspiracy. When sentenced, Brooke faces up to 20 years in prison. Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region (DOL-OIG), announced the verdict. “Those who choose to settle disputes violently in the street are choosing to go to prison,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Today’s verdict holds the defendant accountable for his brazen conduct.” "Robert Brooke violently attacked an owner of a demolition company to extort a debt repayment to a made member of the Gambino family," stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. "His actions terrified the victims and coerced them into paying thousands of dollars to avoid future beatings. The FBI will never tolerate individuals who attempt to intimidate and steal on behalf of any criminal organization in this city." “Today’s verdict holds the defendant accountable for his criminal conduct. Violence and extortion have no place in America’s workplaces. The Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General will continue working with our law-enforcement partners to investigate labor-related crimes and to ensure that those who threaten workers or employers for personal gain are brought to justice,” stated DOL-OIG Special Agent in Charge Mellone. As proved at trial, in the fall of 2019, the defendant engaged in a violent extortion scheme against the victim owners of a demolition company over purported debts owed to Diego Tantillo, an inducted member of the Gambino organized family, and a company that was co-operated by Tantillo and Brooke (the Company). On December 18, 2019, one of the victims was walking to work when he was ambushed and attacked by Brooke at 50th Street and Eighth Avenue in Manhattan. The victim suffered a fractured cheek bone, black eye and contusions to his face. The victim testified that he and his brothers, who were partners in the demolition company, understood that Tantillo, who they knew was a member of the Gambino organized crime family, was involved in the attack by Brooke. In the weeks after the beating, Tantillo reached out to the victim brothers and told them to pay Brooke and to drop the criminal charges against the defendant. Fearing for themselves and their employees, the owners of the demolition company paid $50,000 to Tantillo and $40,000 to the Company. Tantillo pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy in October 2025 and is awaiting sentencing. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew M. Roddin, Elias Laris, and Brooke Theodora are in charge of the prosecution. The Defendant : ROBERT BROOKE Age: 58 New York, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-443 (FB)


title: Justice Department Seeks to Denaturalize a Court-Martialed Sex Offender

component: Civil Division

body_text: Today, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a civil denaturalization action in the District of Maryland against Nicholas Eshun, a native of Ghana. Eshun secured U.S. citizenship under a provision reserved for U.S. servicemembers that requires the servicemember to serve honorably for at least five years. After he naturalized, the U.S. Marine Corps court-martialed and dishonorably discharged Eshun for attempted sexual abuse of someone he believed to be fourteen years old. “As alleged, this defendant betrayed the uniform, abused the trust of this nation, and targeted who he believed was a child,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Under strong leadership, this Department is using every lawful tool to protect the American people and to ensure that citizenship is not a shield for criminals who never deserved it in the first place. If you commit heinous crimes, you will be held accountable. This is how we make America safe again.” “Today’s denaturalization against Nicholas Eshun, a court-martialed sex offender, demonstrates the United States’ commitment to using every tool available under the law to pursue those who obtain their U.S. citizenship unlawfully,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Thanks to the intrepid investigators of NCIS, we now know the danger this man poses to this country. He is no longer serving as a Marine. There is no lawful basis for him to keep the citizenship he secured as one.” Ten months after immigrating to the United States, Eshun enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in October 2011. In 2013, he naturalized under a statute that expedites U.S. citizenship for individuals serving in the U.S. armed forces. But two years later, while serving overseas, Eshun tarnished the honor of the Marine Corps by exchanging lewd messages with someone whom he believed to be a fourteen-year-old girl and by attempting to sexually abuse her. Eshun was, in fact, communicating with an undercover officer with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. His actions resulted in his court-martial and conviction. On May 16, 2016, the Marine Corps dishonorably discharged Eshun after 4 ½ years of service. Defendant is thus subject to denaturalization under 8 U.S.C. § 1440(c), a provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act that applies to servicemembers who naturalize through military service but who are dishonorably discharged without serving honorably for at least five years. This case is being prosecuted by Deputy Chief Hans H. Chen of the Justice Department’s Office of Immigration Litigation, Affirmative Litigation Unit, with assistance from the U.S. Marine Corps Judge Advocate Division, U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations, ICE’s Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.


title: Two Men Charged With Committing String Of Robberies In Manhattan And Mount Vernon

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”), Bryan DiGirolamo, announced the arrest of JYEREONNE RANSOM and KENNETH CRUTE in connection with a string of armed robberies in Mount Vernon and New York, New York. RANSOM and CRUTE were arrested on December 6, 2025, and presented today in White Plains federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy, who ordered them detained. "As alleged, over the course of three weeks in November, Jyereonne Ransom and Kenneth Crute carried out a series of gunpoint robberies,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “When offenders choose gun violence in New York, we will work to get them off the street using our robust federal investigative tools and partnerships, and they will be charged with serious federal crimes, often carrying mandatory minimums and consecutive sentences, so that they remain off the street.” “These arrests stem directly from the strong collaboration between ATF NY’s Hudson Valley Field Office and the Mount Vernon Police Department,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Bryan DiGirolamo. “By combining our expertise and resources, we were able to swiftly stop a pattern of armed robberies that threatened innocent lives. Our agencies remain firmly committed to safeguarding our communities, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York will now take the case forward. This type of violence creates fear within the community, and we refuse to tolerate it. We will persist in doing everything we can to reduce violent gun crime in our streets.” As alleged in the Complaint filed in White Plains federal court: [1] RANSOM and CRUTE committed a string of robberies between November 10, 2025, and November 29, 2025, including: a November 10, 2025, gunpoint robbery of a restaurant in upper Manhattan; a November 12, 2025, gunpoint robbery of a restaurant in Mount Vernon; a November 19, 2025, gunpoint robbery of a gas station in Mount Vernon; and a November 29, 2025, robbery of a restaurant in Mount Vernon. * * * RANSOM, 19, of New York, New York, is charged with conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and four counts of Hobbs Act robbery, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and three counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, each of which carries an additional mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison and must be served consecutively to any other prison terms imposed. CRUTE, 18, of New York, New York, is charged with conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and three counts of Hobbs Act robbery, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and two counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, each of which carries an additional mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison and must be served consecutively to any other prison terms imposed. The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the ATF Hudson Valley Field Office, the City of Mount Vernon Police Department, the New York City Police Department, and the Westchester County Department of Public Safety. The case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake Sidransky is in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Wife of Sinaloa Cartel Kingpin Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Claudia Patricia Alvarez Hernandez, the wife of incarcerated Sinaloa Cartel kingpin Jorge Alberto Valenzuela Valenzuela, was sentenced in federal court today to 14 years in prison for her role in a massive drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracy. U.S. District Judge Andrew G. Schopler also ordered Alvarez Hernandez to forfeit more than $5 million dollars’ worth of luxury watches, jewelry, vehicles and bulk cash seized during this case. During the hearing, Judge Schopler characterized Alvarez Hernandez’s conduct as “assisting a dangerous and violent cartel.” This case is part of a long-running investigation targeting the Valenzuela Transnational Criminal Organization (TCO), which was a significant component of the Sinaloa Cartel. The Valenzuela TCO was one of the largest importers of cocaine into the United States. The TCO sourced cocaine and other controlled substances (including fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, and marijuana) from South America and Mexico, transported the drugs to multiple locations along the U.S.-Mexico border using commercial trucking companies, smuggled the narcotics into the country, and distributed them throughout the U.S. The TCO then smuggled the bulk cash proceeds from its drug trafficking activities back to the TCO’s leadership in Mexico. According to court records, throughout 2020, the Valenzuela TCO, including one of its leaders, Jorge Alberto Valenzuela Valenzuela (“Jorge”), was engaged in violent conflict with another component of the Sinaloa Cartel led by Ivan Archivaldo Guzman-Salazar. During this conflict, Jorge’s brother and previous TCO leader, Gabriel Valenzuela-Valenzuela, was killed. This led the Valenzuela TCO to procure large quantities of firearms, ammunition, tactical gear, armored vehicles, and ballistic vests. A considerable number of these items were sourced from within the United States and clandestinely smuggled into Mexico, using numerous arms trafficking networks. As the investigation progressed in 2020, agents began to target private jet aircrafts operated by the TCO. In October 2020, while tracking the movement of one of the aircrafts and conducting surveillance at every stop across the county, agents learned that Jorge was onboard. Agents then coordinated with HSI Boston to arrest Jorge. On November 5, 2020, a federal grand jury sitting in the Southern District of California returned an indictment charging Jorge with drug trafficking and money laundering offenses (in case number 20-cr-3515-AGS). Jorge subsequently pleaded guilty to all counts and is currently in custody in the Southern District of California pending sentencing. Following Jorge’s arrest, on November 20, 2020, DEA and HSI agents initiated surveillance at a commercial truck yard being operated by the Valenzuela TCO in the Otay Mesa area of San Diego. Agents ultimately obtained a search warrant for this truck yard and during the search, seized approximately $3,078,880 in bulk U.S. currency, approximately 685 kilograms of cocaine, 24 kilograms of fentanyl, and a pickup truck with a trap gas tank the size of half the truck bed were discovered. The truck yard contained numerous tractors and trailers, along with numerous other vehicles. Inside one of the trailers, agents seized approximately 20,000 rounds of .50 caliber ammunition, along with approximately 427 ballistic plate carriers, approximately 1,000 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition, and approximately 104 magazines for .50 caliber ammunition. During this multi-year investigation, agents identified Claudia Patricia Alvarez Hernandez as the wife of Jorge and a trusted high-ranking member of the TCO. During the last 20 years, Jorge rose from a low-level drug trafficker to a top Sinaloa Cartel drug kingpin. As part of her relationship with Jorge, Alvarez Hernandez was able to live in luxury (purchasing and enjoying luxury watches, jewelry, high-end residences, dozens of real properties, automobiles, and other items) based on the massive amount of cocaine that Jorge and his organization trafficked. Following Jorge’s arrest in October 2020, Alvarez Hernandez and other family members became intimately involved in the operation of Jorge’s organization by exercising supervisory authorities over its remaining members and trying to locate and preserve its many illegal assets both in Mexico and the United States. And on November 3, 2020, HSI San Diego executed a search warrant at the residence of Alvarez Hernandez in San Diego County and seized approximately $5 million in the form of high-end luxury watches, jewelry, $220,000 in cash, 17 cellular phones, and an RF Detector, among other items. To date, this investigation has resulted in the charging of 109 defendants and the seizure of approximately 2,000 kilograms of cocaine and fentanyl, over $16 million in cash, and 21,000 rounds of ammunition. “Cartel WAGs are in for a rude awakening,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “There is a lie behind their luxury: that they didn’t know. This sentence reflects the reality.” “Today’s sentencing marks a major step in our efforts to dismantle all factions of the Sinaloa Cartel,” said HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Kevin Murphy. “The defendant played a key role in a violent drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracy that brought dangerous narcotics into our communities and fueled cartel violence. The forfeiture of millions in luxury assets and the lengthy prison sentence send a clear message: those who assist and profit from cartel operations will be held accountable. HSI and our partners remain committed to disrupting transnational criminal organizations and protecting public safety.” “For years Alvarez Hernandez lived in comfort while turning a blind eye to the violence, addiction, and devastation her husband’s cartel inflicted on our communities,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge James Nunnallee. “Today’s 14-year sentence makes clear that those who profit from drug trafficking will be held accountable, whether they are on the front lines or living in luxury. The DEA remains committed to pursuing every individual who enables cartel operations and fuels the suffering of innocent families.” “Today’s sentencing confirms the extensive and damaging role the defendant played within the Sinaloa Cartel, a dangerous Transnational Criminal Organization infiltrating our communities,” said Mark Dargis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “Alvarez Hernandez took ownership of her incarcerated husband’s illegal dealings to preserve her way of life, no matter who it hurt. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will not stop until all these dangerous cartel leaders behind the drugs and violence in our neighborhoods are held accountable.” “Following the money is one of the most effective ways to bring down criminal organizations’” said Tyler Hatcher, Special Agent in Charge of the IRS Criminal Division for Los Angeles. “Our special agents will continue to work tirelessly to trace and seize millions in illicit proceeds, ensuring that crime does not pay.” This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew J. Sutton and Mikaela Weber. DEFENDANT Case Number 22-cr-01504-AGS Claudia Patricia Alvarez Hernandez Age: 38 Culiacan, MX SUMMARY OF CHARGES Conspiracy to Import Cocaine, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 952, 960 and 963. Maximum Penalty: Mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life in prison, $10 million fine. Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 846. Maximum Penalty: Mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life in prison, $10 million fine. Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. 1956(h). Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison, a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the monetary instrument or funds involved. INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Homeland Security Investigations Drug Enforcement Administration Federal Bureau of Investigation Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation United States Marshals Service Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations Customs and Border Protection, Office of Border Patrol Department of Justice, Office of Enforcement Operations Department of Justice, Office of International Affairs San Diego County Sheriff’s Department San Diego Police Department Border Crime Suppression Team San Diego County District Attorney’s Office This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals, Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Interpol, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.


title: Justice Department Opens Investigation into Conditions of Colorado Prisons and Youth Facilities

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: Today, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced that it has opened a civil investigation into conditions within facilities operated by the Colorado Department of Corrections (DOC) and Colorado Department of Youth Services (DYS). The investigation will examine DOC and DYS policies and practices to ensure that DOC inmates and youths in the custody of DYS are being afforded their rights under the U.S. Constitution and federal law. “The Constitution protects every American, whether they are a young person confined in a juvenile facility or an elderly person confined to a prison,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We are committed to upholding our federal civil rights laws so that no one is subject to unconstitutional mistreatment when held in state custody.” The Division has not reached any conclusions regarding allegations in this matter. The Division will investigate DOC and DYS pursuant to its authority to enforce the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA). Under CRIPA, the Department has the authority to investigate violations of prisoners’ constitutional rights that result from a “pattern or practice of resistance to the full enjoyment of such rights.” The department has conducted CRIPA investigations of many correctional systems, and where violations have been found, the resulting settlement agreements have led to important reforms. The Division will also investigate DOC under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (RLUIPA), 42 U.S.C. § 2000cc, and DYS under Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, 34 U.S.C. § 12601. Individuals with relevant information are encouraged to contact the department via civilrights.justice.gov/report/ . Additional information about the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt


title: Sacramento County Man Sentenced to over 6 Years in Prison for Receiving Child Sex Abuse Material

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: Kyle Travis Colton, 38, of Citrus Heights, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to six years and eight months in prison for receiving child sex abuse material, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to evidence presented at trial and in court documents, during a search of Colton’s home, law enforcement recovered his laptop, which contained copious images and videos depicting the graphic sexual abuse of young children. Between July 2022 and December 2023, Colton downloaded these depictions of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The material was saved on Colton’s computer desktop and in his downloads folder, and he had user-created bookmarks linking to known child pornography websites. This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shea J. Kenny is prosecuting the case. Following sentencing, Colton was remanded into custody of the Bureau of Prisons to begin serving his sentence immediately. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education. #


title: California Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a 12-Year-Old and Distributing Child Pornography

body_text: A California man pleaded guilty today to attempted enticement and coercion of a minor and to distribution of child pornography. According to court documents, Donald Ramirez, 40, of Salinas, California, used Snapchat to send a 12-year-old girl a photo of his genitals and repeatedly demanded the child create and send him photos of herself engaged in sexually explicit conduct he directed. Ramirez also used other social media platforms, including Telegram and Wickr, to distribute child sexual abuse material including images of another female minor whom he had communicated with on Snapchat. Ramirez is scheduled to be sentenced on May 11, 2026 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian for the Northern District of California made the announcement. The Department of Homeland Security is investigating the case. Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Neal Hong for the Northern District of California are prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


body_text: CLEVELAND — A Guatemalan national unlawfully residing in the United States and previously convicted of sexual battery pleaded guilty today in federal court in Cleveland to encouraging and inducing an unaccompanied alien child (UAC) to illegally enter the United States and to submitting a sponsorship application with false statements to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to gain custody of the UAC. “This defendant directed a 14-year-old child to commit criminal conduct and then obtained custody of the child by defrauding a government program intended to help vulnerable children,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Through Joint Task Force Alpha, the Criminal Division is fully committed to prosecuting those who take advantage of children and lie to undermine the integrity of government programs. We will strive to end the exploitation of these children and stop the manipulation of government programs by fraudsters, smugglers, and others engaged in serious criminal conduct.” “Mr. Tiul Xi engaged in layers of deception. Committing one federal crime after another, he showed no regard or respect for this girl’s human dignity,” said U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio. “We greatly appreciate the dedication of the investigative teams with Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Cleveland FBI, to protect minors from being victimized by the likes of these ruthless individuals.” According to court documents, 26-year-old Juan Tiul Xi helped a 14-year-old female Guatemalan UAC enter the United States illegally with the permission of her family. Tiul Xi helped the UAC and her family find someone from whom the family could borrow money to pay a “coyote” to transport the UAC to the United States. Tiul Xi instructed the UAC to use the name and birth certificate of Tiul Xi’s minor sister to enter the United States so that Tiul Xi could falsely state in his UAC sponsorship application that he was the UAC’s brother. Tiul Xi then made these false representations in an application that he signed under the penalty of perjury. ORR relied on Tiul Xi’s misrepresentations, approved his application to sponsor the UAC, and released the UAC to Tiul Xi’s care in September 2023. Tiul Xi was indicted on April 17, 2025, and pleaded guilty today to all counts: one count of encouraging or inducing illegal entry for the purpose of financial gain; one count of making a false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement; and one count of aggravated identity theft. Tiul Xi faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison on the illegal-entry count, up to five years in prison on the false-statement count, and a mandatory consecutive two-year sentence on the aggravated-identity-theft count. Tiul Xi’s sentencing is scheduled to take place March 19, 2026. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The investigation and indictment were coordinated and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions (HRSP) Section and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant United States Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/ HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 425 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 375 U.S. convictions; more than 325 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets. ICE HSI and FBI Cleveland field offices jointly led the investigation with assistance from HSI’s Attaché team in Guatemala. Additionally, HSI’s Center for Countering Human Trafficking in Washington, D.C., and ORR have provided valuable assistance. Acting Deputy Chief Christian Levesque of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, Joint Task Force Alpha detailee/Trial Attorney Spencer M. Perry of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney/Senior Litigation Counsel Carol Skutnik and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael L. Collyer for the Northern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case, with assistance from HRSP Analyst/Latin America Specialist Joanna Crandall.


title: Salinas Man Pleads Guilty To Attempted Sexual Exploitation Of A 12-Year-Old And Distributing Child Pornography

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: A California man pleaded guilty today to attempted enticement and coercion of a minor and to distribution of child pornography. According to court documents, Donald Ramirez, 40, of Salinas, California, used Snapchat to send a 12-year-old girl a photo of his genitals and repeatedly demanded the child create and send him photos of herself engaged in sexually explicit conduct he directed. Ramirez also used other social media platforms, including Telegram and Wickr, to distribute child sexual abuse material including images of another female minor whom he had communicated with on Snapchat. Ramirez is scheduled to be sentenced on May 11, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian for the Northern District of California made the announcement. The Department of Homeland Security is investigating the case. Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Neal Hong for the Northern District of California are prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Concord Man Who Sold Fraudulent Sports Memorabilia Pleads Guilty To Wire Fraud

body_text: OAKLAND – Daniel Damato pleaded guilty in federal court this afternoon to wire fraud in connection with his sales of fraudulent sports memorabilia. Damato also admitted that he attempted to obstruct the FBI’s investigation into his criminal conduct. Damato, 42, of Concord, California, was charged by information on October 20, 2025, with one count of wire fraud. The information alleged that between 2022 and 2024, Damato, a sports memorabilia dealer, doctored and gave false provenance to valuable items to make them appear as authentic sports collectibles, and then attempted to sell the items to unsuspecting buyers at inflated prices. In pleading guilty, Damato admitted that in 2023, he sold for $100,000 a baseball bat that he falsely represented as having been used by Willie Mays in the 1954 World Series. Despite his assertions to the contrary, the bat Damato sold for $100,000 had not been used in the 1954 World Series and was in fact a “factory error” bat that was an inch shorter than what Mays used during his career. After the victim buyer sent Damato $100,000 for the supposedly game-used bat, Damato did not send him anything. Damato also sold other fraudulent items, including a jersey he falsely marketed as having been worn in a game by Mays that Damato sold for $50,000. After the FBI executed a search warrant on his residence in October 2024, Damato contacted at least one potential witness in an attempt to obstruct the government’s investigation into his conduct. United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Agustin Lopez made the announcement. Damato’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 23, 2026, before District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín. Damato faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence will be imposed by the Court after consideration of the United States Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abraham Fine is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Amala James. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.


title: Baldwin County Man Sentenced To 30 Years For Sexual Exploitation And Attempted Enticement Of A Minor

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – Logan Smith, 38, was sentenced on December 1, 2025, to 30 years in prison for convictions related to the sexual exploitation of a minor, attempted enticement of a minor, and possession of child pornography. Smith entered his guilty pleas on June 24, 2025. According to court documents, Smith first came to law enforcement attention following a report that he had been distributing child pornography via the internet. Further investigation revealed that he had been communicating with a minor victim living out of state over a period of months. Smith exploited the minor on social media platforms where he repeatedly directed her to record sexually explicit conduct and send those videos and images to him. Smith communicated with the minor about his plans to travel to meet her in person and to engage in sexual contact with her. Additionally, two mobile devices belonging to Smith contained hundreds of images and videos of child sexual abuse material. At sentencing, Chief United States District Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock imposed a 360-month term of incarceration and a 15-year term of supervised release upon Smith’s future release. Smith will be subject to sex offender treatment and mental health treatment while imprisoned. Smith will be required to register as a sex offender and is to have no contact with minors. Smith was ordered to pay $7,220 in restitution to the victim of his offenses and $400 in special assessments. U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Beth Stepan and Kacey Chappelear prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc/publications-resources.


title: Armed Drug Dealers Sentenced to Decades in Federal Prison

body_text: MOBILE, AL – Two Grand Bay men were sentenced to 20 years and 12 years in prison, respectively, for engaging in a drug-trafficking conspiracy and illegally possessing firearms in furtherance of drug crimes. According to court documents, Demetrius Dwayne Powell, 33, and Diricka Tyrese McCants, 41, were arrested by narcotics agents on July 30, 2024. That day, agents went to a property in Grand Bay to arrest Powell, who had a pending arrest warrant for a robbery charge. When agents arrived, they encountered Powell and McCants coming out of a shed on the property. McCants, who was on federal supervised release for a prior felony drug-trafficking conviction, told the agents, “Once y’all go in there, I’m gone.” Inside the shed, agents located and seized, among other things, nearly two pounds of 100% pure methamphetamine, smaller amounts of crack and powder cocaine, opened vacuum-sealed bags containing small amounts of marijuana, digital scales, drug packaging materials, and three loaded firearms. After their arrest, Powell and McCants exchanged recorded jail calls in which Powell encouraged McCants to take the rap for the drugs due to Powell’s violent criminal history, which includes convictions for a stabbing assault and felony domestic violence by strangulation. Powell also scolded McCants for not listening to him when he previously suggested that law enforcement had been surveilling the shed in Grand Bay. Agents searched the contents of cell phones seized from Powell and McCants. The cell phones contained numerous text messages, photos, and videos about the defendants’ drug transactions and illegal possession of firearms between January and July 2024. United States District Judge Terry F. Moorer sentenced Powell and McCants to serve 240 months and 144 months in prison, respectively. Upon their release from prison, Powell and McCants will each serve 10-year terms of supervised release, during which time they will be subject to drug testing and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge Moorer ordered the defendants to pay a total of $300 in special assessments and forfeited their firearms to the United States. U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. Homeland Security Investigations and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration substantially assisted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Wilsonville Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for  Possessing and Transporting Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A Wilsonville, Oregon, man was sentenced to federal prison today after a federal jury in Portland found him guilty of transporting and possessing photos and videos depicting child sexual abuse. Joshan Rohani, 41, was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison and 10 years of supervised release. According to court documents and testimony at trial, between July and December 2021, Rohani participated in at least 34 chatrooms, some of which were focused on sharing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and the sexual exploitation of children, on the New Zealand-based cloud storage and file hosting service Mega. Additionally, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents discovered that Rohani had multiple accounts that had been suspended by Mega due to suspected CSAM. On May 24, 2022, HSI agents executed a search warrant at Rohani’s residence. Investigators found CSAM on several of the devices seized from Rohani’s residence. On October 16, 2024, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a six-count indictment charging Rohani with distributing, transporting, accessing with intent to view, and possessing child pornography. Following a five-day jury trial from December 2 to December 6, 2024, Rohani was convicted of transporting, accessing with intent to view, and possessing child pornography. “Protecting our children remains our highest priority in the District of Oregon,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon Scott E. Bradford. “Today’s sentence marks an important step to hold this defendant accountable and seek a measure of justice for the victims. Our efforts to combat child exploitation within our community will continue.” “Securing this lengthy sentence for transporting and possessing child sexual abuse material is a direct result of the incredible partnership between HSI and the District of Oregon to seek justice for the innocent,” said HSI Seattle acting Special Agent in Charge April Miller. “The outstanding outcome of HSI’s investigation reaffirms our commitment to protecting children and holding offenders accountable.” This case was investigated by HSI with assistance from the Newberg-Dundee Police Department and the New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs. It was prosecuted by Gary Y. Sussman and Mira Chernick, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon. Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to contact HSI at (866) 347-2423 or submit a tip online at report.cybertip.org . Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org . This case was brought in collaboration with Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Durant Resident Pleads Guilty To Possession Of Obscene Visual Representations Of The Sexual Abuse Of Children

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Zachary Aaron Holderness, age 25, of Durant, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information of one count of Possession of Obscene Visual Representations of the Sexual Abuse of Children, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The Information alleged that on February 27, 2025, Holderness knowingly possessed a visual depiction lacking serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value, transported by means of interstate or foreign commerce, including by computer, and depicting, or appearing to depict, a minor engaging in sexual intercourse. The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bryan County Sheriff’s Office, and the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police. The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Holderness will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Morgan Muzljakovich represented the United States.


title: Marshall County Resident Pleads Guilty To Kidnapping And Theft In Indian Country

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Louis Lee Ray Hamons, age 23, of Kingston, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information of two counts of Kidnapping in Indian Country, punishable by a term of up to life in prison and a $250,000.00 fine for each count, and one count of Theft in Indian Country, punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000.00. The Information alleged that on March 2, 2025, Hamons unlawfully seized, confined, kidnapped, and abducted two victims. The Information further alleged that on March 2, 2025, Hamons took and carried away with intent to steal a vehicle exceeding $1,000 in value. The crimes occurred in Marshall County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The charges arose from an investigation by the Madill Police Department, the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Hamons was remanded into the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Gross represented the United States.


title: Jefferson County Resident Pleads Guilty To Federal Firearm Crime

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

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Zachery David Parker, age 38, of Ringling, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crime, punishable by a minimum term of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The Indictment alleged that on May 7, 2025, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, Parker knowingly possessed nine firearms, including: one 20 gauge break-open shotgun; one .410 gauge bolt-action shotgun; two .22 caliber semi-automatic rifles; one 5.56x45mm caliber semi-automatic rifle; one .32ACP caliber semi-automatic pistol; one .45ACP caliber semi-automatic pistol; one .40S&W caliber semi-automatic pistol; and one .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol. The charge arose from an investigation by the Carter County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Parker will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.


title: Woman Who Pointed Gun and Threatened to Kill Social Security Protective Security Officer Sentenced to Federal Prison

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A woman who pointed a gun at a Social Security Office and repeatedly threatened a security guard with the gun was sentenced October 30, 2025, to 4 years in federal prison. Stella Ross, age 28, from Louisiana, received the prison term after a May 15, 2025, guilty plea to one count of assault, threatened assault, attempted assault of a federal officer, and one count of influencing a federal official by threat. Evidence in the case revealed on September 3, 2024, Ross pulled a gun on a Protective Security Officer (PSO) at the Sioux City, Iowa, Social Security office, and threatened to kill him. When the PSO pulled his weapon in response, Ross withdrew, but remained at the scene until she saw Sioux City Police arrive, then she drove away. Ross began a Facebook live post detailing her interaction at the Social Security Office and making additional death threats, racial slurs, and other complaints against law enforcement. Responding officers located Ross at a residence, and after communicating with her via phone at the scene, she was peacefully taken into state custody without further incident. The firearm, magazine and ammunition were located along with items belonging to Ross in the residence. After being released from state custody she repeated her threats against the PSO and law enforcement. Ross was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 48 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Ross is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison. The case was investigated by Sioux City, Iowa Police Department, Sergeant Bluff, Iowa Police Department, Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security, Federal protective Service and the United States Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF). This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-4071. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Armed Meth Dealer Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison

body_text: A man convicted of drug trafficking, who fled from police two times, was sentenced today to 17 years in federal prison. Pablo Elias-Lopez age 35, from Sioux City, received the prison term after a July 2, 2025, guilty plea to one count of possessing with intent to distribute a controlled substance, methamphetamine, after having been convicted of a serious drug felony. Evidence in the case revealed on or about December 11, 2024, during a traffic stop, Elias-Lopez was found to be in possession of a Taurus .44 Revolver, and a Sig Sauer P320 9mm Pistol, and ammunition, as well as 225 grams of methamphetamine and more than $10,000 cash. On January 11, 2025, Elias-Lopez was again subject to a traffic stop, and this time he fled law enforcement. During the short pursuit, law enforcement was able to maneuver and stop his vehicle. Elias-Lopez was found with a bag of cash totaling $27,005 and $600 in his wallet. On March 21, 2025, as officers were attempting to serve an arrest warrant on Elias-Lopez, he again fled, ramming into a police vehicle. During the eluding, Elias-Lopez also hit another individual head-on. As Elias-Lopez sped through neighborhoods, his vehicle ended in a wooded area where he then fled on foot. Officers were able to locate him nearby where he was taken into custody. Officers located 112 grams of methamphetamine and more than $2,200 in cash. Elias-Lopez’s criminal history includes multiple charges of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, eluding, and participating in a felony or resulting in serious injury. Elias-Lopez was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 204 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Elias-Lopez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. The case was investigated by the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department, Woodbury County Sheriff’s Department, and Sgt. Bluff, Iowa Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-4018. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: McAlester Resident Sentenced For Illegally Possessing Ammunition

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Shawn Ronald Sather, age 55, of McAlester, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Ammunition. The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Latimer County Sheriff’s Office. On August 7, 2025, Sather pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on April 26, 2023, deputies conducting a traffic stop on Highway 270 near Wilburton, Oklahoma, discovered Sather in possession of 5 rounds of ammunition. At the time of the stop, Sather had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment. 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. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Sather will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob R. Parker and Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.


title: Muskogee Resident Sentenced For Illegally Possessing Firearm And Ammunition

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Scott Alan Bahe, age 42, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to twenty-one months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Ammunition, and twenty-one months for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. The Court ordered the sentences to run concurrently to one another. The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Muskogee Police Department. On April 9, 2025, Bahe pleaded guilty to the charges. According to investigators, on December 23, 2024, as officers conducted a routine stop for a traffic violation, Bahe became uncooperative, ignored commands to stop, and attempted to evade officers by turning into a nearby alley. Officers took Bahe into custody and discovered 39 rounds of assorted 9mm Luger caliber ammunition inside Bahe’s backpack. Officers conducting a sweep of the alley recovered a loaded 9mm Lugar caliber semi-automatic pistol. At the time of the stop, Bahe had been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment. 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. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Bahe will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.


title: Drug Smuggler Caught On The High Seas With 1,828 Kilograms Of Cocaine To 235 Months’ Imprisonment

body_text: On December 4, 2025, United States District Court Judge Terry F. Moorer sentenced Denny Andres Mero Anchundia, an Ecuadorian national, to 235 months’ imprisonment for smuggling approximately 1,828 kilograms of cocaine in the Pacific Ocean following his guilty plea on the charges. Court documents show that on March 3, 2025, while on routine patrol in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, United States Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter Kimball detected a vessel that was suspected of smuggling drugs. The vessel was without nationality, in international waters, had visible packages onboard, fuel barrels on deck, and three outboard engines. The Kimball intercepted the drug smuggling vessel which complied with USCG directions. Once dead in the water, the USCG boarding team came alongside and gained positive control of the drug smugglers. The boarding team confirmed the packages were consistent with cocaine and determined the vessel was without nationality. The boarding team then transferred the six persons onboard, including Anchundia, and the cocaine back to the Kimball. Once onboard, the boarding team was determined the weight of the cocaine as approximately 1,828 kilograms. The drug smuggling vessel was sunk due to being a hazard to navigation. The six crew members were brought the United States and charged under the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act. United States Attorney Sean P. Costello made the announcement. The case was investigated by the United States Coast Guard and the Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney George F. May prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. This case was prosecuted as a part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Justice Department Requires Divestitures to Proceed with Constellation’s Proposed $26.6 Billion Acquisition of Calpine

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: Note: View proposed settlement here . The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, together with the Attorney General of Texas, announced today that it will require divestiture of six power plants in Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Texas to resolve antitrust concerns arising from Constellation Energy Corporation, Inc.’s $26.6 billion acquisition of Calpine Corporation. The Antitrust Division filed a civil antitrust lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to block the proposed acquisition. At the same time, the Division filed a proposed settlement that, if approved by the court, would resolve the Division’s competitive concerns. “The price of electricity is a pocketbook issue to American consumers working hard to afford their monthly utility bills. When it comes to their electricity bills, Americans deserve the benefit of robust competition among electricity generators,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “This settlement includes a six-plant divestiture to an acquisition that risked harming tens of millions of electricity consumers in the mid-Atlantic and Texas. I am appreciative of the partnership with our co-plaintiff, the State of Texas, to secure relief for consumers.” As detailed in the complaint, the acquisition would create the largest wholesale power generator in the United States and increase the likelihood that the combined firm would profitably withhold electricity from one or more of its plants. The result would be higher electricity prices for customers in Texas, where the electricity grid is operated by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), and in New Jersey, Delaware, southeastern Pennsylvania, and the eastern shores of Maryland and Virginia, where the electricity grid is operated by PJM Interconnection LLC (PJM). The divestitures resolve the Division’s concerns that the acquisition would harm competition and lead to higher prices on consumers reliant on the ERCOT and PJM electricity grids. Specifically, the settlement requires the companies to divest their ownership interests in four electricity plants serving PJM and two electricity plants serving ERCOT. The divested plants are: Bethlehem Energy Center, a natural gas combined cycle plant, located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; York Energy Center (York 1 and York 2), a dual-fuel combined cycle plant, located southeast of the city of York, Pennsylvania; Hay Road Energy Center, a dual-fuel combined cycle plant, located in Wilmington, Delaware; Edge Moor Energy Center, a simple cycle natural gas plant, located in Wilmington, Delaware; Jack A. Fusco Energy Center, a natural gas combined cycle plant, located southwest of Houston, Texas; and Gregory Power Plant, a natural gas combined cycle plant, located northeast of Corpus Christi, Texas. This is the first settlement consent decree that the Division has filed in an electricity merger in 14 years. Constellation is a publicly traded Pennsylvania corporation headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. It is one of the largest owners of electric generation assets in the United States. In 2024, the company earned $23.6 billion in revenue. It currently controls more than 20,000 megawatts of generating capacity in PJM and approximately 5,000 megawatts in ERCOT. Calpine is a privately held Delaware corporation headquartered in Houston, Texas. Calpine is the largest generator of electricity from natural gas and geothermal in the United States. The company controls approximately 9,000 megawatts of generating capacity in ERCOT and 5,000 megawatts in PJM. As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed settlement, along with a competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register . Any person should submit written comments concerning the proposed settlement within 60 days following the publication to Patricia Corcoran, Acting Chief, Transportation, Energy & Agriculture Section, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street NW, Suite 8000, Washington, DC 20530. At the conclusion of the public comment period, the court may enter the final judgment upon finding it is in the public interest. Constellation Calpine Complaint.pdf Constellation Calpine PFJ.pdf


title: Rosebud Man Sentenced to Federal Prison   for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a man from Rosebud, South Dakota, convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on December 2, 2025. Lavern David Luxon, Jr., age 34, was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Luxon was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2025. He pleaded guilty on September 3, 2025. Luxon was convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in 2017. Consequently, he is required to register as a sex offender and update his registration within three days of relocation or changing employment or student status. In June 2023, Luxon began a period of supervised release living in Rapid City, South Dakota, and appropriately registered as a sex offender with local law enforcement. In September 2024, however, Luxon moved from his registered address and absconded from supervision. His whereabouts were unknown until July 2, 2025, when he was found and arrested in Rosebud. This case was brought as a 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. Attorney’s 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 . This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case. Luxon was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Kyle Man Sentenced to Nearly 4 years in Federal Prison  for Causing Fatal Car Crash While Intoxicated

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Kyle, South Dakota, man convicted of Involuntary Manslaughter. The sentencing took place on December 1, 2025. Kevin Hunter, 33, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Hunter was indicted for Involuntary Manslaughter by a federal grand jury in July 2024. He pleaded guilty on September 2, 2025. On May 15, 2024, near Kyle, South Dakota, Hunter drove his pickup while under the influence of alcohol, reaching speeds over 80 miles per hour. He crossed into the oncoming lane and struck a van, killing the passenger inside. Instead of calling 911 or seeking help, Hunter immediately fled the scene and then lied to investigators about his whereabouts that night. In sentencing him to the top of his Sentencing Guidelines range, Judge Theeler noted that Hunter had a history of previous DUI convictions, concluding such a sentence was necessary to protect the public. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes committed in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court. This case was investigated by the FBI and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case. Hunter was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Florida Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for Tax Evasion and Bankruptcy Fraud

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A Florida man was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court in Bangor for attempting to evade federal taxes and engaging in fraudulent transfers and concealment in a bankruptcy proceeding. U.S. District Judge Stacy D. Neumann sentenced Paul Archer , 46, formerly of Hampden and Orrington, to 24 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release. According to court records, Archer operated a profitable online marketing business for software installation on computers, earning several million dollars from 2013 through 2015. After an IRS audit in 2016 assessed a federal tax debt totaling approximately $1 million for those years, Archer concealed and transferred assets through two LLCs he controlled and began using third-party bank accounts to evade paying the tax debt. From April 2018 through November 2019, Archer transferred and concealed assets and income by using a series of bank accounts held in the names of Max Tune Up, LLC, Stealth Kit, LLC, his father, and his spouse. Using a bank account held by Stealth Kit, LLC, for instance, Archer received income via direct deposits, initiated and received over $2 million in wire payments, and used cryptocurrency trading platforms and online payment systems to transfer funds. Archer transferred an investment account held in his own name to an account held in the name of Stealth Kit, LLC, then engaged in trading activity, stock ownership, and dividend/interest distributions. Archer further owned and transacted in Bitcoin using two different cryptocurrency exchanges, purchasing and later trading several hundred thousand dollars in cryptocurrency. In March 2019, Archer filed a Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceeding. In his Chapter 7 petition and schedules, Archer falsely claimed less than $50,000 in assets; a single checking account; no other assets or property interests; no recent asset transfers; and no connections to any businesses or memberships in any LLCs. Archer repeated these falsehoods under oath during meetings of creditors convened by a Chapter 7 Trustee, as well as in statements made to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maine. IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI investigated the case. ###


title: California Man Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for Drug Charges

component: USAO - Iowa, Southern

body_text: DES MOINES, Iowa – A Tulare, California man was sentenced on December 2, 2025, to life in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. According to public court documents and evidence presented at trial, Brian Joaquin Alvarado, 40, was the leader of an extensive drug trafficking organization that sold large amounts of methamphetamine in the Des Moines area and transported firearms to California. Alvarado, who was serving a prison sentence in California, organized and coordinated shipments of methamphetamine and firearms with the assistance of at least five co-defendants, including his then 18-year-old son. In July 2025, following a two-day trial, a jury convicted Brian Joaquin Alvarado of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. The co-defendants were sentenced as follows: • Brian Crimson Alvarado, 20, was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison, followed by a five-year term of supervised release, on November 5, 2025; • Jose Martine Alejo Galan, 29, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by a five-year term of supervised release, on February 27, 2025; • Linda Roseanne Gonzalez Gayton, 37, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, followed by a five-year term of supervised release, on August 28, 2025; • Gregory Paul Shiner, 25, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by a five-year term of supervised release, on November 21, 2025; and • Kassianne Kay Timm, 30, was sentenced to a time-served sentence, followed by a three-year term of supervised release, on December 18, 2024. There is no parole in the federal system. United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Iowa Department of Public Safety – Division of Narcotics Enforcement and United States Postal Inspection Service and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jon Holscher.


title: Kingsford Man Sentenced to 360 Months in Prison for Exploiting a Minor

component: USAO - Michigan, Western

body_text: MARQUETTE – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey announced that Dalton Wayne Braun, 36, of Kingsford, was sentenced to 360 months in prison followed by 120 months of supervised release for the sexual exploitation of a child. During sentencing, U.S. District Judge Robert J. Jonker noted that the case involved “truly egregious facts.” Braun admitted when pleading guilty that he had recorded a video of himself sexually abusing a minor child in July 2024. Braun also admitted that he then distributed that video over the internet. U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey said, “Dalton Braun repeatedly abused a small child, who was not even old enough to voice the abuse he was suffering. No one should tolerate such abuse and my office certainly will not. I commend my staff and our law enforcement partners for their diligence.” “Crimes committed against children are some of the most unforgivable and those who commit them deserve severe and lasting consequences,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “The maximum sentence imposed on Dalton Braun demonstrates the gravity of his depraved actions and the severe impact it had on children across the United States. I am grateful for the dedicated efforts of FBI Detroit’s Marquette Resident Agency, FBI Milwaukee’s Green Bay Resident Agency, the Michigan State Police, the Kingsford Department of Public Safety, the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan for protecting the most vulnerable members in our communities by stopping Mr. Braun before he could commit another heinous offense.” The Federal Bureau of Investigation led by the Marquette Resident Agency, Michigan State Police, Kingsford Department of Public Safety, and Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case. Information obtained as part of this investigation has thus far led to six additional child victims being recovered from abusive situations; five additional federal indictments; and two state or local arrests. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/PSC . # # #


title: Defendant Indicted For Attempting To Meet A Minor To Engage In Sexual Activity

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Ismael Osbaldo Pedro Tomas (23, Guatemala) with attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. If convicted, Pedro Tomas faces a minimum sentence of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. According to the indictment, between July 22 and August 11, 2025, Pedro Tomas attempted to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce an individual whom he believed had not yet attained the age of 18 years to engage in prostitution and sexual activity. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.