title: Leader Of Tren De Aragua Charged In Manhattan Federal Court With Racketeering, Terrorism, Drug Importation, And Firearms Offenses

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Special Agent in Charge of the Special Operations Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), Louis A. D’Ambrosio, Co-Director of Joint Task Force Vulcan (“JTFV”), Jacob Warren, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), Ricky J. Patel, Special Agent in Charge of the Houston Field Office of the FBI, Douglas Williams, and Special Agent in Charge of the Andean Division of the DEA, Eugene L. Crouch, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging HECTOR RUSTHENFORD GUERRERO FLORES, a/k/a “Niño Guerrero,” a/k/a “El Cejón,” a/k/a “El Innombrable,” [1] in connection with GUERRERO FLORES’s leadership role in Tren de Aragua (“TdA” or the “Enterprise”), a transnational criminal organization operating throughout North America, South America, and Europe, which has also been designated as a foreign terrorist organization. GUERRERO FLORES is currently at large. The U.S. Department of State is offering rewards of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of GUERRERO FLORES. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Andrew L. Carter, Jr. “As alleged, Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores has been the mastermind of Tren de Aragua’s evolution from a Venezuelan prison gang into a transnational terrorist organization that committed countless acts of violence, extortion, and drug trafficking all over North America, South America, and Europe,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “In the Southern District of New York, we have now charged over 30 members or associates of Tren de Aragua with federal crimes, and we are committed to bankrupting the cartels and transnational gangs who flood our streets with deadly drugs and pursue death, violence and corruption as a way of life. This is what New Yorkers want, and it is what they deserve.” “Guerrero Flores operated Tren de Aragua like a multinational crime syndicate—laundering money through cryptocurrency, trafficking drugs by the ton, selling weapons of war, and orchestrating acts of terror across borders,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Louis A. D’Ambrosio. “He ran this empire from prison, shielded by corruption, and in collaboration with a narco-state cartel intent on flooding the United States with cocaine. This case exemplifies today’s threat: criminal organizations that function like terrorists and terrorize like insurgents. DEA and our partners are dismantling them piece by piece—targeting their leadership, finances, weapons, and networks.” “For more than a decade, as alleged in the Indictment unsealed today, Nino Guerrero has led TdA from its inception as a prison gang in Venezuela to a transnational terrorist organization,” said JTFV Co-Director Jacob Warren. “TdA has inflicted widespread harm in the United States through extortions, kidnappings, murders, drug trafficking, gun trafficking, prostitution, sex trafficking, robberies, bank burglaries, and money laundering. The charges unsealed today in the Southern District of New York are directly in line with JTFV’s mission: a collaborative, whole of government effort, to destroy TdA. We are grateful for our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and our law enforcement partners who worked tirelessly to investigate and bring these important charges.” “As alleged, Niño Guerrero has for decades led one of the fastest-emerging foreign terrorist organizations to encroach upon American soil: Tren de Aragua,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel. “This reputed leader grew TdA from a Venezuela-based prison gang to the vile, vicious organization it has become. Together with our partners, HSI and the HSTF New York will continue to wage an unyielding campaign against cartels, drug traffickers, and transnational criminal organizations who seek to sow destruction and death. Together, we will ensure that no corners of their criminal empires are beyond the reach of justice.” “Hector Guerrero Flores is the alleged leader of a Venezuelan foreign terrorist organization sowing violence, murder, and misery into communities and nations throughout the Western Hemisphere,” said FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams. “Under the leadership of Guerrero Flores, Tren de Aragua translates the suffering and death of thousands into profits for its members. Tren de Aragua, under the guidance of Guerrero Flores, saw members commit murders; violent robberies; sex trafficking; and weapons and narcotics trafficking impacting communities across the United States.” “DEA is unwavering in its mission to dismantle the command and control of Tren de Aragua, a designated foreign terrorist organization that thrives on drug trafficking and violence,” said Special Agent in Charge Eugene L. Crouch of the DEA Andean Division. “For years, TdA has exploited corruption to expand its reach and evade justice, but those days are over. DEA is relentlessly targeting TdA’s leadership, financial networks, and infrastructure, and we will not rest until these individuals are brought to justice. We are grateful to the Colombian National Police and the Colombian Attorney General’s Office for their invaluable partnership in this investigation.” According to the allegations in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court: [1] GUERRERO FLORES and others known and unknown were members and associates of TdA, a criminal organization that operated throughout North America, South America, and Europe, including in the United States, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Brazil, Mexico, and Spain. TdA—literally meaning “Train from Aragua”—originated in the Venezuelan state of Aragua in the 2000s, and TdA used the Tocorón Prison in Aragua as a center of operations to orchestrate and conduct criminal activities. TdA was largely composed of persons from South America, mostly from Venezuela. In the following years, gang members and associates left Venezuela and spread throughout North, South, and Central America and Spain, which expanded TdA’s presence. TdA members and associates established a presence in other countries in South America, Central America, and the United States by engaging in the following pattern of behavior: First, TdA members and associates infiltrated other countries by illegally crossing their borders and finding cities and other residential neighborhoods where they could easily establish control over civilian populations. Next, TdA members and associates committed crimes and other acts of terrorism to assert control over their territory and enrich themselves through extortions, kidnappings, robberies, murders, drug trafficking, prostitution, sex trafficking, and trafficking of guns, grenades, and ammunition. Many of the crimes and acts of terrorism committed by TdA members and associates were ordered, directed, facilitated, or otherwise supported by TdA leadership in South America, including GUERRERO FLORES. Finally, TdA members and associates would spread to other locations, forming cells with their own local leadership and structure. TdA’s violent tactics often resulted in entire neighborhoods and apartment buildings being subject to TdA’s control. TdA members and associates laundered the proceeds of their criminal activities, including through cryptocurrency, and transmitted a portion of the proceeds to TdA leadership in South America, including GUERRERO FLORES. Through this pattern of behavior, TdA members and associates established a strong gang presence in other countries in South America, Central America, North America and Europe, like Colombia, Peru, Chile, Brazil, Mexico and Spain. TdA members and associates also illegally crossed the border into the United States and established a presence in various parts of the country, including New York, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Nebraska, Illinois, and Florida. As a result, TdA operated as a national and international criminal organization with its members and associates regularly conducting gang activities and acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries across the Western Hemisphere. TdA members and associates also worked in concert with some of the largest cocaine trafficking organizations in the world, including the Cártel de los Soles, or “Cartel of the Suns.” The Cártel de los Soles is and, at all relevant times, was, a Venezuelan drug-trafficking organization comprised of high-ranking Venezuelan government officials who corrupted the legitimate institutions of Venezuela to facilitate the importation of tons of cocaine into the United States, including through the use of maritime drug distribution routes with boats and ships carrying hundreds or thousands of kilograms of narcotics, including cocaine. It is and was the goal of the Cártel de los Soles to “flood” the United States with cocaine, as it has sought to weaponize the drug and inflict its harmful and addictive effects on users in the United States. Members and associates of the Cártel de los Soles have included, among others, the most powerful politicians in Venezuela, former military officials, and some of the largest and most violent cocaine traffickers in the world. In turn, certain of these politicians have controlled the locations from which TdA grew in power and influence. Members and associates of the Cártel de los Soles relied upon corruption and violence as they transported cocaine from Venezuela en route to the United States. In Venezuela, politicians aided cocaine traffickers by offering them safe passage for their cocaine, protection from arrest, and, at times, the support of the police and military. And Cártel de los Soles’s cocaine traffickers relied on violence throughout their cocaine distribution route—including the use of firearms, kidnappings, and murder—to protect their cocaine, their distribution networks, and themselves. For over a decade, GUERRERO FLORES served as either the leader or co-leader of TdA, acting as the mastermind over TdA’s expansion across the Western Hemisphere. During much of that time, GUERRERO FLORES operated from Tocorón Prison, where the Venezuelan government allowed GUERRERO FLORES to control the day-to-day operations of the prison. Under GUERRERO FLORES’s direction, TdA members and associates engaged in a wide range of crimes, including extortions, kidnappings, murders, drug trafficking, gun trafficking, prostitution, sex trafficking, robberies, bank burglaries, and money laundering. GUERRERO FLORES and other high-level leaders of TdA would collect a “causa” or fee from income generated by lower-level members of TdA, thereby enriching themselves from income earned by other TdA members. As the leader of TdA, while operating from Venezuela and elsewhere, GUERRERO FLORES ordered, directed, facilitated, and supported acts of violence and terrorism transcending national boundaries, including murders, kidnappings, extortions, and maiming against victims located inside and outside the United States. GUERRERO FLORES and other members and leaders of TdA also worked with several of the largest cocaine traffickers in Venezuela to transport tons of cocaine from Venezuela for eventual distribution in the United States. GUERRERO FLORES both directed and personally facilitated the transportation of this cocaine by supplying teams of heavily armed individuals to protect and transport cocaine shipments for his trafficking partners and associates. These individuals were armed with, among other automatic weapons, AK-47s, MP5s, and AR-15s, as well as grenades. The cocaine that GUERRERO FLORES helped distribute was manufactured in Colombia and Venezuela. The cocaine shipments were then transported from their point of origin and flown from clandestine airstrips or transported by maritime routes from Venezuela to Central America. From there, drug trafficking associates working with the Venezuelan distributors transported this cocaine north, through Mexico, and across the U.S. border. These drug trafficking associates included members of the largest, most violent, narcotics trafficking organizations in Mexico. At times, GUERRERO FLORES personally accompanied large cocaine loads as they were guarded by teams of armed men, en route to airports or airstrips for transport north and eventual distribution to the United States. GUERRERO FLORES was paid a fee per kilogram transported or received an interest in portions of these massive cocaine shipments in lieu of payment. The traffickers that GUERRERO FLORES worked with moved thousands of kilograms per shipment, multiple times per month, resulting in the distribution of hundreds of tons of cocaine to the United States. In addition, GUERRERO FLORES also sold firearms to large-scale cocaine traffickers operating out of Venezuela. These traffickers purchased from GUERRERO FLORES automatic weapons including AK-47s, MP5s, and AR-15s, and then used the weapons they purchased from GUERRERO FLORES to protect their cocaine loads. * * * GUERRERO FLORES, 42, of Venezuela, is charged with participating in a racketeering conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison; cocaine importation conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of life and a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison; and using and carrying firearms, machineguns, and destructive devices in furtherance of drug trafficking, which carries a maximum sentence of life and a mandatory minimum of 30 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of DEA’s Bilateral Investigations Unit and Bogotá Country Office, HSI New York, FBI Houston, and the New York City Police Department. Mr. Clayton also thanked Colombia’s Office of the Attorney General; Colombian National Police’s Unified Action Group for Liberty (“GAULA”); Araphoe County District Attorney’s Office; Aurora Police Department in Aurora, Colorado; New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force of the U.S. Marshals Service (“USMS”); U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Gang Unit and New York Human Intelligence Division; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s New York Enforcement and Removal Operations; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”); the New York City Crime Analysis Center at the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area; the Harris County Sheriff’s Office; and the Houston Police for their assistance with the investigation. This case is part of JTFV, which was created in 2019 to eradicate MS-13 and now expanded to target Tren de Aragua, and is comprised of U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country. Those include Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; Eastern and Western Districts of North Carolina; Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia; Southern District of Florida; Eastern District of Texas; Western District of Oklahoma; Northern District of Indiana; and the District of Nevada; , as well as the as well as the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the Criminal Division. Additionally, the FBI, DEA, HSI, ATF, USMS, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons are essential law enforcement partners with JTFV. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Office of Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia, has also provided significant assistance. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Justice Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood. This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent Organizations & Crime Unit, National Security & International Narcotics Unit, and JTFV. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas S. Bradley, Andrew K. Chan, Kaylan E. Lasky, Henry L. Ross, Kevin T. Sullivan, Kyle A. Wirshba, and Jun Xiang are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorneys Jason Harley and Josie Thomas from JTFV. The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Crownpoint Man Sentenced for Possession of Child Porn

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Crownpoint man was sentenced to 15 years in prison after admitting he knowingly received and possessed hundreds of images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of young children. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court records, the case originated from an FBI investigation into a convicted sex offender who was distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and attempting to engage in sexual acts with children. During that investigation, agents identified Blayne Ashley , 36, as an individual who exchanged CSAM and engaged in graphic online discussions about sexually exploiting children. Ashley sent multiple images of CSAM depicting the sexual abuse of young children, including victims as young as 4 to 9 years old. He also discussed his desire to engage in sexual activity with minors, including offering access to an underage relative. Further review revealed that Ashley communicated with multiple individuals about child sexual exploitation using various online platforms, including Facebook, Discord, Kik, and others. In one conversation, he posed as an adult female with a young daughter and discussed ways to sexually abuse a child. On June 7, 2024, FBI agents executed a search warrant at Ashley 's residence in Crownpoint. Initially, Ashley provided a false name to agents. A forensic examination of his primary cellphone revealed 77 confirmed images and 23 videos of CSAM, including depictions of children between 3 and 8 years old, as well as hundreds of age-difficult images and videos. Ashley pled guilty to receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography. Upon his release from prison, Ashley will be subject to five years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender. Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jesse Pecoraro prosecuted the case 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: Veterans Affairs Nursing Assistant Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Obtaining PPP Loan

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Veterans Affairs Nursing Assistant has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to frequently obtaining a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan. Wigenie Francois, 44, of Brockton, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud on Dec. 11, 2025. U.S. Senior District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for March 11, 2026. Francois was charged in October 2025. In April 2021, Francois submitted an application seeking a PPP loan. In the application, Francois made false claims regarding gross income purportedly earned from a sole proprietorship. To support these false claims, Francois attached fraudulent tax documents as part of the application. The PPP loan application was approved and Francois received $20,833. Francois used that money on personal expenses. However, in March 2024, Francois submitted a loan forgiveness application that falsely claimed the entire $20,833 was spent on payroll. Based on the misrepresentation, the entire loan was forgiven. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Sullivan of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.


title: H Block Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Drug Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A member of the violent Boston-based gang, H-Block, pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to drug conspiracy charges. Eric Celestino, 31, of Boston, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for March 18, 2026. Celestino was one of 10 H-Block gang members and associates charged in August 2024 following a multi-year investigation beginning in 2021 in response to an uptick in gang-related drug trafficking, shootings and violence. According to court documents, over 500 grams of cocaine, cocaine base (crack cocaine) and fentanyl, as well as over 20,000 doses of drug-laced paper were seized during the investigation. Since the investigation began in 2021, law enforcement attributed 12 incidents of gunfire to growing tensions involving H Block gang associates. Six H Block members and associates were arrested and charged with drug dealing in Boston and surrounding communities. Four additional H Block members and associates were already in state custody at the time of the arrests. Additional drugs and four firearms were seized during the subsequent arrests. From 2022 through 2023, Celestino, a long-time H Block gang member, participated in a conspiracy to distribute various controlled substances, in particular, powdered cocaine and cocaine base (crack). According to court filings, Celestino was a supplier of cocaine to his co-conspirators, who engaged in various drug deals with an undercover officer. According to the charging documents, the H Block Street Gang is one of the most feared and influential city-wide gangs in Boston. Originally formed in the 1980s as the Humboldt Raiders in the Roxbury section of Boston, the gang re-emerged in the 2000s as H Block. Current members of H Block have a history of violent confrontation with law enforcement, including an incident in 2015 when a member shot a Boston Police officer at point blank range without warning or provocation. The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. Celestino is the eighth defendant to plead guilty in the case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Randy Maloney of the U.S. Secret Service Boston Field Office; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the Depart of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. The investigation was supported by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office; Massachusetts Department of Corrections; and the Braintree, Quincy, Randolph, and Watertown Police Departments. Assistant United States Attorney John T. Dawley of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit and Jeremy Franker of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime & Racketeering Section are prosecuting the cases. 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 Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Connecticut Man Sentenced to 30 Months’ Imprisonment for Role in $7.8 Million Health Care Fraud and Kickback Scheme

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Connecticut man was sentenced yesterday to 30 months’ imprisonment for his role in a multimillion-dollar durable medical equipment (DME) health care fraud and kickback scheme, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced. Jesse Foote, 60, of Fairfield, Connecticut, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas in Newark federal court to a two-count information charging him with conspiracy to violate the Federal Anti-Kickback statute and conspiracy to commit health care fraud. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From December 2017 to March 2021, Foote conspired with overseas telemarking call centers, DME suppliers, telemedicine companies, and doctors to submit fraudulent claims to health care benefit programs, including Medicare and TRICARE, through a circular scheme of kickbacks and bribes. Foote controlled a marketing company through which he purchased patient “leads” from overseas telemarking companies. The leads consisted of information about Medicare and other beneficiaries and pre-written doctors’ orders for DME. The telemarketing call centers targeted Medicare beneficiaries and others with health insurance to persuade them to accept DME, including orthotic braces, without regard to medical necessity. Foote paid bribes and kickbacks to telemedicine companies, which in turn paid bribes and kickbacks to doctors, to obtain doctors’ orders for DME based on the leads. The doctors often approved the DME orders without having any contact with the beneficiary and without making a bona fide assessment that the DME was medically necessary. Foote then sold the signed doctors’ orders to others with whom he had kickback arrangements. The doctors’ orders were ultimately submitted to DME suppliers, including DME suppliers controlled by Foote, which submitted fraudulent claims for reimbursement to health care benefit programs including Medicare, TRICARE, and private insurance companies. In total, Foote and his co-conspirators caused the submission of false and fraudulent claims to health care benefit programs totaling more than $7.8 million for DME. In addition to the prison term, Judge Salas sentenced Foote to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $7,878,991.56 in restitution. Senior Counsel Lamparello credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz, and U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christopher M. Silvestro, with the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine M. Romano, Chief of the General Crimes Unit in Newark. ### Defense counsel: Charles Alvarez, Esq.


title: Eleven TdA Members Indicted in New Mexico on RICO Conspiracy and Violent Acts

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – Federal prosecutors in New Mexico have indicted 11 alleged members and leaders of the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua on racketeering charges, accusing them of kidnapping, brutally interrogating, and strangling a victim in an Albuquerque apartment, before burying his body in a remote desert grave. According to court documents, Henderson Yofre Mavo Finol , 39, and Adan Jose Ramirez Sanchez , 38, both Venezuelan nationals illegally present in the U.S., are alleged leaders of the Tren de Aragua (TdA) enterprise who directed acts of violence to maintain and increase their positions within the organization. On or about June 16, 2024, Mavo Finol and Ramirez Sanchez, allegedly directed the kidnapping of a victim identified as John Doe 1. Hagy Jose Barrios Rojano , 31, a Colombian national illegally present in the U.S., carried out the kidnapping by luring him to an apartment at the Peaks at Sandia View complex in Albuquerque. Once inside the apartment, Leonel Arquimedes Bustamante Sanchez , 27, Yefeso Rafael Colina Quiroz , 26, Maikol David Aponte Ramos , 26, Ichiro Eduardo Yamawaki Berrio , 22, Yorvis Michel Carrascal Campo , 26, all Venezuelan nationals illegally present in the U.S., and other TdA members allegedly restrained and assaulted John Doe 1. During the assault, Bustamante Sanchez allegedly struck John Doe 1 in the head and face with a firearm, rendering him incapacitated. After John Doe 1 was restrained, TdA members at the apartment allegedly placed a phone call to Mavo Finol , who conferenced in Ramirez Sanchez and other TdA leaders and associates, located in the United States and abroad. During this call, the defendants allegedly interrogated John Doe 1 about his loyalty to TdA and his suspected connections to rival gangs. Following the interrogation, a TdA leader participating in the call allegedly ordered that John Doe 1 be killed. Acting on that order, Colina Quiroz , Yamawaki Berrio , Aponte Ramos , Carrascal Campo , and Milton Jesus Lopez Guedes , 23, a Venezuelan national illegally present in the U.S., allegedly strangled John Doe 1 until he died. After the killing, TdA members allegedly photographed the victim’s body and sent the images to Mavo Finol and other TdA leaders to confirm that the murder had been carried out as directed. Following the murder, Antoni Alfredo Herrera Montanez , 27, a Venezuelan national illegally present in the U.S., allegedly obtained luggage to transport the victim’s body and later obtained cleaning supplies to help conceal the crime. Colina Quiroz , Aponte Ramos , and Carrascal Campo allegedly cleaned the apartment to remove evidence of the killing. Between June 16 and June 17, 2024, Colina Quiroz and Ron Saez allegedly searched for a burial site, obtained shovels, shared a digital map location with other TdA members, and transported the victim’s body in a suitcase using a red Chevrolet Sonic owned by Herrera Montanez . Colina Quiroz , Aponte Ramos , Barrios Rojano , Carrascal Campo , Lopez Guedes , and Ron Saez allegedly buried John Doe 1 in a remote location within the District of New Mexico. The indictment further alleges that Ramirez Sanchez was directly involved in an armed confrontation at an apartment complex in Aurora, Colorado, on or about August 18, 2024, during which rival groups exchanged gunfire and a second victim, John Doe 2, was killed. In addition to the violent crimes, Colina Quiroz is charged with possessing ammunition in Albuquerque in February 2025. Aponte Ramos and Herrera Montanez are charged with possessing firearms, extended magazines, ammunition, controlled substances including cocaine, ketamine, methamphetamine, MDMA, fentanyl, and marijuana, materials used to manufacture tusi, a narcotic drug popular in Venezuela which typically contains a mixture of controlled substances, including methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl, and is typically manufactured to be pink in color, and fraudulent immigration and identification documents. Henderson Yofre Mavo Finol, Adan Jose Ramirez Sanchez , Hagy Jose Barrios Rojano and Leonel Arquimedes Bustamante Sanchez are charged with conspiracy to conduct racketeering activity, murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping in aid of racketeering and drug trafficking conspiracy. If convicted, they face up to life in prison. Yefeso Rafael Colina Quiroz, Ichiro Eduardo Yamawaki Berrio , Maikol David Aponte Ramos, Antoni Alfredo Herrera Montanez, Yorvis Michel Carrascal Campo , Milton Jesus Lopez Guedes and Yhon Deivis Ron Saez are charged with conspiracy to conduct racketeering activity, murder in aid of racketeering and drug trafficking conspiracy. If convicted, they face up to life in prison. Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today on behalf of the Homeland Security Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Trembley, Nora Wilson and Randy Castellano are prosecuting the case along with Deputy Director Jeremy Franker and Trial Attorney Jason Harley from the Department of Justice’s Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV). The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Office of Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia, provided significant assistance. JTFV was created in 2019 to eradicate MS-13 and now expanded to target Tren de Aragua, and is comprised of U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country. Those include Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; Eastern and Western Districts of North Carolina; Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia; Southern District of Florida; Eastern District of Texas; Western District of Oklahoma; Northern District of Indiana; and the District of Nevada; as well as the Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the Criminal Division. Additionally, the FBI, DEA, HSI, ATF, USMS, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons are essential law enforcement partners with JTFV. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Region II CORE 7 is comprised of agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Customs and Border Protection – Office of Field Operations (OFO), U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) and Air and Marine (AMO), Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), United States Department of the Interior – Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Joint Task Force North (JTF-N), United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), United States Marshal Service (USMS), Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DSS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Texas Department of Public Safety (TXDPS), El Paso Police Department (EPPD), New Mexico State Police (NMSP), West Texas / New Mexico High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA), Albuquerque Police Department, New Mexico Sixth Judicial District, Las Cruces/Dona Ana County Metro Narcotics Agency, and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Districts of Western Texas and New Mexico. Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. View the Indictment (TdA).pdf DOJ Announcement: justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-highlights-nationwide-crackdown-tren-de-aragua SDTX: justice.gov/usao-sdtx/pr/tren-de-aragua-senior-leadership-charged-terrorism-and-international-drug-distribution SDNY: justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/leader-tren-de-aragua-charged-manhattan-federal-court-racketeering-terrorism-drug DCO: justice.gov/usao-co/pr/alleged-tren-de-aragua-leaders-indicted-multiple-charges-including-rico DNE: justice.gov/usao-ne/pr/tren-de-aragua-members-and-leaders-indicted-multi-million-dollar-atm-jackpotting-scheme


title: Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Health Care Fraud and Kickback Conspiracy

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Florida man pleaded guilty to conspiring to bill Medicare for medically unnecessary prescriptions, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced. Eric Van Vleet, 30, of Delray Beach, Florida, pleaded guilty to a superseding information charging him with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and conspiracy to violate the federal Anti-Kickback Statute, before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From February 2018 to September 2019, Van Vleet operated Hype Med LLC, which generated medically unnecessary prescriptions through a telemarketing and telemedicine scheme. As part of the health care fraud and kickback conspiracy, Van Vleet and Hype Med identified Medicare beneficiaries to target for expensive drugs. Call center employees contacted beneficiaries to pressure them to agree to try expensive medications, such as pain creams, scar creams, eczema creams, migraine medication, and a combination of prescription medications to be used as a “foot soak.” Van Vleet and Hype Med then sent recordings of calls with the beneficiaries, along with pre-marked prescription pads for particular drugs that would yield exorbitant reimbursements, to telemedicine companies. Hype Med paid the telemedicine companies kickbacks for every beneficiary referred for a prescription, and the telemedicine companies paid doctors to approve the prescriptions. Van Vleet then directed the prescriptions to pharmacies, including Apogee Bio-Pharm LLC, located in Edison, New Jersey, with which Hype Med had a kickback arrangement. The pharmacies filled the prescriptions and sought reimbursement from federal health care benefit programs, including Medicare. The pharmacies, including Apogee, then paid a portion of each reimbursement to Hype Med as a kickback. Van Vleet and Hype Med received at least approximately $343,683.69 in kickback payments from the owners of Apogee. The principals of Apogee—William Welwart, Ethan Welwart, and Gary Kaczka—are charged with health care fraud and related offenses in a separate indictment. Elan Yaish, former President of Apogee, previously pleaded guilty to an information charging conspiracy to violate the federal anti-kickback statute. As a result of medically unnecessary prescriptions generated by Hype Med, Medicare paid at least $1,399,812.52 based on false and fraudulent claims. The health care fraud conspiracy charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison, and the charge of conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute carries a maximum potential penalty of 5 years in prison. Each count is also punishable by a fine of $250,000, or twice the gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Senior Counsel Lamparello credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz, and U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christopher M. Silvestro, with the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine M. Romano, Chief of the General Crimes Unit in Newark. ### Defense counsel: Michael Baldassare, Esq. van_vleet.information.pdf


title: Ceratizit USA LLC Agrees to Pay $54.4M to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Evaded Customs Duties

component: Civil Division

body_text: Ceratizit USA LLC (Ceratizit), a Charlotte, North Carolina-based distributor of tungsten carbide products, has agreed to pay $54.4 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly and improperly failing to pay duties owed on tungsten carbide products imported from the People’s Republic of China (China). Tungsten carbide is a hard, wear-resistant material used in the manufacturing of cutting tools and other components. “Import duties are a powerful tool for protecting American industry,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This settlement once again demonstrates that the Department of Justice will zealously pursue those who seek an unfair advantage in U.S. markets by evading customs duties.” “We need customs duties to protect our industries and to raise money,” said U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. for the Eastern District of Michigan. “We will use the law to support our companies and to make cheaters pay.” “Attempts at duty evasion have always existed, regardless of the tariff environment,” said Commissioner Rodney S. Scott of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). “These schemes are vast and complex, but CBP professionals are well-trained and positioned to detect, deter, and disrupt tariff evasion schemes to ensure that duties are paid.” To enter goods into the United States, an importer must declare, among other things, the country of origin of the goods, the classification of the goods, whether the goods are subject to duties, and the amount of duties owed. CBP collects applicable duties, including Section 301 tariffs imposed by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Section 301 tariffs protect U.S. industry by imposing trade sanctions on foreign countries that violate U.S. trade agreements or engage in other unreasonable acts that burden U.S. commerce. During the relevant time period, Chinese-manufactured tungsten carbide products were subject to Section 301 tariffs. The settlement resolves allegations that, from August 2020 through March 2024, Ceratizit knowingly misrepresented the country of origin on Chinese-manufactured tungsten carbide products. More specifically, the United States alleged that Ceratizit knew these products had been manufactured in China and transshipped to Taiwan before being shipped to the United States. Ceratizit allegedly misrepresented to CBP that the products originated in Taiwan rather than China to avoid paying applicable Section 301 tariffs. The settlement also resolved allegations that from June 2015 through March 2024, Ceratizit knowingly misclassified tungsten carbide products using the incorrect Harmonized Tariff Schedule code to further reduce the duties owed to CBP. Finally, the settlement resolves allegations that certain of the merchandise imported by Ceratizit was not marked with the country of origin, and the company failed to pay marking duties owed to CBP before distributing the unmarked products to consumers within the United States. The settlement with Ceratizit resolves a civil lawsuit filed by Mark Stover under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and to share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The lawsuit was filed in the Eastern District of Michigan and is captioned United States ex rel. Stover v. Ceratizit USA, et al. No. 2:22-cv-12291 (E.D. Mich.). As part of today’s resolution, Mr. Stover will receive approximately $9,750,000 of the settlement proceeds. On Aug. 29, 2025, the Department of Justice launched a cross-agency Trade Fraud Task Force to enhance efforts to combat and prevent trade fraud that deprives the government of vital revenue, threatens critical domestic industries, undermines consumer confidence, and weakens national security. The Task Force augments existing coordination mechanisms within the Department of Justice, leveraging expertise from both the Civil and Criminal Divisions, as well as the Department of Homeland Security, to aggressively pursue enforcement actions against any parties who seek to evade tariffs and other duties, as well as smugglers who seek to import prohibited goods into the American economy. The Justice Department encourages whistleblowers to utilize the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act to alert the government to credible allegations of fraud. The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, with assistance from CBP’s Office of the Associate Chief Counsel. The matter was handled by Trial Attorney James Nealon and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonny Zajac for the Eastern District of Michigan. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Tren De Aragua Members and Leaders Indicted in Multi-Million Dollar ATM Jackpotting Scheme

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

body_text: UPDATED - United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that a federal grand jury in the District of Nebraska has returned two indictments charging 54 individuals for their roles in a large conspiracy to deploy malware and steal millions of dollars from ATMs in the United States, a crime commonly referred to as “ATM jackpotting.” An indictment returned on December 9, 2025, charges 22 defendants with offenses corresponding to their role in the conspiracy, including conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to commit bank burglary and fraud and related activity in connection with computers, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The indictment also alleges that Tren de Aragua (“TdA”) has used jackpotting to steal millions of dollars in the United States and then transferred the proceeds among its members and associates to conceal the illegally obtained cash. One of the individuals named in the Indictment is Jimena Romina Araya Navarro, an alleged Tren de Aragua leader and Venezuelan entertainer who was sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). OFAC’s press release alleged that Araya Navarro reportedly helped the notorious head of TdA, Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores (a.k.a. “Niño Guerrero”) escape from the Tocorón prison in Venezuela in 2012, and others in this network have laundered money for TdA leaders. Jimena Romina Araya Navarro was indicted by the grand jury for the District of Nebraska for material support to Tren De Aragua for factual allegations stemming from TdA’s nationwide ATM jackpotting scheme that included burglaries of many ATMs located in Nebraska. Jimena Romina Araya Navarro has been publicly photographed at parties and social events with the alleged head of TdA Nino Guerrero. A related indictment was returned on October 21, 2025. That indictment charges 32 individuals and alleges 56 counts including one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit bank burglary and computer fraud, 18 counts of bank fraud, 18 counts of bank burglary, and 18 counts of damage to computers. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum term of imprisonment ranging between 20 and 335 years. “As alleged, these defendants employed methodical surveillance and burglary techniques to install malware into ATM machines, and then steal and launder money from the machines, in part to fund terrorism and the other far-reaching criminal activities of TDA, a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The announcement of charges against 54 individuals today underscores both the scale of the alleged conspiracies and the tenacity of our investigators and prosecutors. The Criminal Division will not tolerate networks of thieves who breach the security of our financial system, including for the nefarious purpose of providing material support to terrorists.” United States Attorney Lesley Woods said, “Many millions of dollars were drained from ATM machines across the United States as a result of this conspiracy and that money is alleged to have gone to Tren de Aragua leaders to fund their terroristic activities and purposes. A tirelessly dedicated team of Nebraska law enforcement agents and officers banded together to identify this vast international criminal network and to follow the money trail of this devastating financial crime back to its terroristic roots in Venezuela. The agents, analysts, detectives, and officers who came together on this case were able to expose this conspiracy from its lowest levels to the alleged mastermind behind the malware that was deployed against American ATMs all across the nation. The members of Nebraska law enforcement who selflessly dedicated themselves to this mission have not only made Nebraska safer from a designated terrorist organization by removing dozens of TdA members from Nebraska but have also dealt a blow to an organization with international reach and impact. This case demonstrates what state, federal, and local law enforcement officers can accomplish when they fully join forces. The United States Attorney’s Office stands ready to fight alongside our law enforcement partners to defeat any threat to national security and to Nebraska’s security. TdA members will find no safe harbor in the State of Nebraska.” “TdA poses a direct threat to our communities both here in the Midwest and across our country. This violent terrorist organization relies on a wide range of criminal activities to generate revenue supporting their campaigns of violence and terror. This case highlights TdA’s plot to deploy sophisticated malware targeting financial institutions across the U.S., syphoning millions of dollars from American banks to fund acts of terrorism,” said Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Omaha Field Office. “As criminal enterprises change tactics, we surge resources and adapt accordingly to protect the American people. FBI Omaha will continue standing shoulder to shoulder with our local, state, and federal partners in the fight to dismantle and disrupt the activities of TdA in our neighborhoods and across the globe.” “Tren de Aragua is not just a criminal gang; they are a ruthless terrorist organization that preys on communities, spreads fear, and bankrolls violence across borders. HSI and our law enforcement partners will track you down, break up your networks, and ensure you never find safe harbor in the United States,” said HSI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Mark Zito. “Our mission is to protect American families from predators who think they can operate with impunity. We will not tolerate foreign terrorists stealing from our citizens and threatening our homeland. Our communities are safer today because of the relentless work of this team, and we are just getting started.” According to court documents, TdA is a violent transnational criminal organization that originated as a prison gang in Venezuela in the mid-2000s. TdA has expanded its criminal network throughout the Western Hemisphere and established a presence in the United States. TdA’s criminal activities include a variety of violent and criminal offenses, including drug trafficking, firearms trafficking, commercial sex trafficking, kidnapping, robbery, theft, fraud, and extortion. TdA members also commit murder, assault, and other acts of violence to enforce and further the organization’s criminal activities. TdA has developed an additional source of revenue stream through financial crimes that target financial institutions throughout the United States, including using jackpotting to steal millions of dollars in cash. The alleged conspiracy developed and deployed a variant of malware known as Ploutus, which was used to hack into ATMs and force ATMs to dispense cash. The conspiracy relied on the recruitment of a number of individuals to deploy Ploutus malware nationwide. Members of the conspiracy and TdA would travel in groups, using multiple vehicles, to the locations of targeted banks and credit unions. These groups would conduct initial reconnaissance and take note of external security features at the ATMs. Following this reconnaissance, the groups would open the hood or door of ATMs and then wait nearby to see whether they had triggered an alarm or a law enforcement response. The groups would then take steps to install malware on the ATMs, by removing the hard drive and installing the malware directly, by replacing the hard drive with one that had been pre-loaded with the Ploutus malware, or by connecting an external device such as a thumb drive that would deploy the malware. The Ploutus malware’s primary purpose was to issue unauthorized commands associated with the Cash Dispensing Module of the ATM in order to force withdrawals of currency. The Ploutus malware was also designed to delete evidence of malware in an effort to conceal, create a false impression, mislead, or otherwise deceive employees of the banks and credit unions from learning about the deployment of the malware on the ATM. Members of the conspiracy would then split the proceeds in predetermined portions. The following photographs depict just a few of the alleged ATM burglaries in progress: The following is a visual representation of the location of alleged jackpotting incidents committed across the United States, along with their geographical locations and total loss amounts as of August, 2025: An indictment or a complaint is a charging document that contains one or more individual counts that are merely accusations. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. This year, the District of Nebraska has charged a total of 67 TdA members and leaders with a range of federal offenses that include material support to a designated foreign terror organization, sex trafficking of minors, assault, bank burglary, money laundering, damage and unauthorized access to protected computers, bank fraud, and conspiracy to commit the same offenses. This Operation 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 Omaha comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska, The Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, and Joint Task Force Vulcan. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Western District of Washington, Eastern District of California, the Southern District of New York, the Northern District of Illinois, the Central District of Illinois, the Eastern District of Oklahoma, District of New Mexico, Southern District of Florida, and the Eastern District of Wisconsin and have provided significant assistance. Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV) was created in 2019 to eradicate MS-13 and now expanded to target Tren de Aragua, and is comprised of U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country. Those include Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; Eastern and Western Districts of North Carolina; Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia; Southern District of Florida; Eastern District of Texas; Western District of Oklahoma; Northern District of Indiana; and the District of Nevada, as well as the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the Criminal Division. Additionally, the FBI, DEA, HSI, ATF, USMS, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons are essential law enforcement partners with JTFV. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Office of Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia, has also provided significant assistance. FBI’s Omaha Field Office and HSI Omaha is investigating the case, with assistance from FBI’s Sacramento, Seattle, Springfield, Miami, and Oklahoma Field Offices, and the United States Secret Service, United States Marshals Service, Customs and Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of the Inspector General, Financial Deposit Insurance Corporation, Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Appanoose County Sheriff’s Office, Bates County Sheriff’s Office, Sheridan Police Department, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Leesburg Police Department, Sterling Heights Police Department, Kearney Police Department, Warrant Police Department, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Colombus Police Department, Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Nebraska State Patrol Crime Laboratory, Bluff City Police Department, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Lincoln Police Department, Gothenburg Police Department, Loudon Police department, Alcoa Police Department, Kearney Police Department, Milford Police Department, Grand Island Police Department, Nebraska State Patrol, Papillion Police Department, Central City Police Department, Holdrege Police Department, New York State Police, Berkeley Police Department, Cook County Electronic Monitoring Unit, Aurora Police Department, Austin Police Department, United States Capitol Police, Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office, City of Rome Police Department, Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, McCook Police Department, Nebraska DMV Crime Analysts, Rantoul Police Department, Olathe Police Department, North Platte Police Department, Walla Walla Police Department, Milton-Freewater Police Department, Missoula Police Department, Omaha Police Department, Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, Sidney Police Department, Denver Police, Howard County Sheriff’s Office, St. Paul Police Department, Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office, Glendale Police Department, Columbia Police Department, Brookfield Police Department, Wauwatosa Police Department, Mount Pleasant Police Department, Grafton Police Department, South Milwaukee Police Department, and Paducah Police Department.


title: Georgia Man Guilty of 69 Counts in Dog Fighting Case

component: Energy and Natural Resources Division

body_text: Note, the press release has been updated to include a quote from USDA OIG. A well-known dog-fighting breeder and trainer in Southwest Georgia was convicted earlier this week of dozens of federal animal welfare charges, along with possessing guns and manufacturing drugs. Dun Bradford, of Sale City, Georgia, was found guilty of 67 counts of possessing a dog for use in an animal fighting venture, one count of manufacture of and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime. “The defendant had extensive involvement in dog fighting and had garnered a reputation as a dog fighting breeder and trainer, which is an especially brutal pursuit,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “His conviction highlights local, state, and federal law enforcement working together and applying our expertise and resources to rescue 67 abused dogs and get a notorious player out of the dog fighting criminal enterprise.” “The cruel and inhumane realities of dogfighting are closely linked to illegal drugs, firearms and other serious crimes,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes for the Middle District of Georgia. “Our office will use every available resource alongside our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to dismantle dog fighting organizations and bring those responsible to justice. I am grateful to the concerned citizen who reported the abused dogs, whose tip ended a long-standing criminal operation gravely harming animals and the entire community.” “This case demonstrates the good results achieved when local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies collaborate to rescue dogs suffering at the hands of those involved in dog fighting and related crimes,” said U.S. Marshal Stephen Lynn for the Middle District of Georgia. “The U.S. Marshals remain committed to supporting law enforcement in bringing those responsible for dog fighting to justice and ensuring that rescued canines are placed in protective custody, giving them a chance at a better life.” “The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) appreciates the collaboration with our law enforcement partners and the prosecutors in this case,” said USDA OIG Special Agent-in-Charge Miles Davis. “USDA OIG is committed to investigating individuals who choose to participate in animal fighting activities and engage in violations involving animal welfare. We thank the U.S. Marshals Service, the Mitchell County, Georgia, Sheriff’s office and Code Enforcement Office, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Middle District of Georgia, and the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice for their partnership with us on this impactful investigation.” According to court documents and statements referenced at trial, the Mitchell County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office and Code Enforcement Office responded to a citizen complaint of animal tethering and neglect at a 17-acre property owned by Bradford in Sale City. Officers saw many pit bull type dogs on heavy chains outside the residence, with some exhibiting aggression toward one another. Agents and animal experts with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) were called and search warrants were obtained and executed on the property. Agents rescued 67 dogs on chains, many without food, water, or shelter. Many of the dogs had recent injuries and scars consistent with dog fighting, including one with severe, recent fighting wounds. A shed on the property held a large amount of dog fighting equipment such as veterinary drugs and devices; anabolic horse steroids; a “breeding stand” used to forcibly breed dogs; training and execution items; and paper pedigrees documenting the fighting history of the dogs. Evidence presented at trial showed Bradford’s home was an area that was used for a long time to breed and train dogs for fighting. Officers also found firearms in Bradford’s home and crack cocaine, along with evidence that the crack was manufactured in Bradford’s kitchen. Bradford faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. The case was investigated by the USDA, USMS, and the Mitchell County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office and Code Enforcement Office, with assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Senior Trial Attorney Ethan Eddy with ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Criminal Chief Leah McEwen with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia are prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).


title: Founder Of Private Equity Firm Charged With Defrauding Investors Out Of Millions

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Christopher G. Raia, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging JAY LUCAS, the founder and managing partner of Lucas Brand Equity LLC (“LBE”), a private equity fund based in Manhattan, with securities fraud, investment adviser fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. The charges in the Indictment arise from an alleged scheme by LUCAS to raise more than $50 million from investors by falsely representing that their money would be invested in early-stage health and wellness companies, when in fact it was diverted to cover personal expenses, promote unrelated ventures, and make Ponzi-like payments to earlier investors. LUCAS was arrested today and will be presented in the District of New Hampshire. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon. “As alleged, Jay Lucas promised investors he would use their hard-earned money to grow wellness businesses, with everyone sharing in the profits,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Instead, Lucas allegedly lied, frittered away investor money on personal vanity projects, and betrayed his obligations to his investors. With the assistance of our dedicated law enforcement partners, our Office will continue to aggressively prosecute fraud in our public and private markets.” “Jay Lucas allegedly systematically misappropriated millions of dollars from his investors, diverting their money to personal expenses, repayments to other investors, and his wife’s business,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia. “As the fund’s managing partner, Lucas’s alleged deceit not only failed to sustain his company’s operations but also betrayed the trust of his clients and employees. The FBI remains committed to investigating any business executive who abuses their authority to satisfy selfish interests at the cost of others.” According to the allegations contained in the Indictment unsealed today: [1] LUCAS is the founder and managing partner of LBE and three private funds: Lucas Brand Equity LP (“Fund One”), L.B. Equity Emerging Growth LP (“Fund Two”), and L.B. Equity Wellness Growth L.P. (“Fund Three”). Since 2017, LUCAS has defrauded investors through fabricated credentials and systematic misappropriation of their funds. LUCAS falsely claimed to have co-founded a well-known private equity firm, which he did not, eventually prompting a cease-and-desist demand from that firm’s lawyers. He told investors that LBE’s “core strategy is to invest in these small to mid-size emerging brands, provide value-added services to differentiate them and catalyze growth to a sufficient scale for exit.” In reality, LUCAS spent investor money on personal expenses including alimony, rent, a vanity newspaper project in his hometown, and political consultants. He used new investor money to pay earlier investors in Ponzi-like fashion, enriching himself while starving the Funds and portfolio companies of capital. LUCAS also funneled investor money to Immunocologie, a luxury skincare business run by LUCAS’s wife. Most purported investments in Immunocologie went to “marketing” expenses, such as parties and trips to luxury resorts where LUCAS’s wife promoted “brand awareness.” Investors were unaware that LUCAS was using their money to fund his wife’s social calendar, and many investors did not even know that the person operating Immunocologie was married to LUCAS. Moreover, LUCAS arranged for LBE, not the Funds, to take majority ownership interest in Immunocologie, giving himself and not his clients an equity interest in the business. LUCAS’s misconduct left the Funds chronically undercapitalized and unable to cover basic fund expenses, including salaries for LBE employees. When LBE employees confronted LUCAS about his misuse of investor funds, he dismissed their complaints. Internally, employees continued to express frustration about LUCAS’s misuse of investor money, writing that LUCAS’s spending was “not spending on LBE,” was “literally fraudulent,” and was “a huge betrayal of investor trust and most likely illegal.” After multiple confrontations, employees feared pressing further would cost them their jobs. As of the date of this Indictment, none of the Funds’ investments have paid off, and no investors have received returns. The Funds and their portfolio companies have hemorrhaged cash and been unable to cover basic expenses while LUCAS and his family have taken the Funds’ money to serve their own interests. * * * LUCAS, 71, of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, was charged in an Indictment with one count of securities fraud, one count of wire fraud, and one count of money laundering, each of which carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison, and one count of investment adviser fraud, which carries a maximum term of five years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the FBI. Mr. Clayton also thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for their assistance and cooperation in the investigation. This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam S. Hobson and David J. Robles are in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the descriptions of the Indictment constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.


title: Justice Department Reaches Agreement with South Carolina to Ensure Adults’ Access to Community-Based Mental Health Services

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department announced today that it secured a settlement agreement with the State of South Carolina to resolve the department’s findings and complaint alleging that South Carolina violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Supreme Court’s decision in Olmstead v. L.C. by unnecessarily segregating adults with serious mental illnesses in institutional settings, called Community Residential Care Facilities. “The Department and South Carolina are working together to ensure that people with serious mental illnesses can be served in the community when they want to be,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This is a great day for the people of South Carolina and demonstrates the substantial work that can happen when the federal government and states work together.” As part of the agreement, South Carolina will ensure that it provides community-based mental health services to enable people with serious mental illness to live in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs. South Carolina will expand capacity in intensive mental health, housing, and peer support services; ensure mobile crisis response is available in all areas of the state; and identify people who are living in or referred to the Care Facilities, providing them with case management and connections with community-based mental health services, consistent with their individual needs and informed choices. Yesterday, the parties filed a stipulation in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina to dismiss the Department’s complaint while South Carolina implements the settlement agreement. The Department recognizes South Carolina for its commitment to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available at www.justice.gov/crt . Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at civilrights.justice.gov/ .


title: Watertown Man Sentenced for Possessing 10 Pounds of Methamphetamine

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Seth Demiceli, age 25, of Watertown, New York, was sentenced yesterday to 132 months in federal prison for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Bryan DiGirolamo, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement. As part of his prior guilty plea, Demiceli admitted that on January 16, 2025, he drove from the Rochester, New York area to Watertown with approximately 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine that he intended to sell. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “This drug dealer was apprehended by law enforcement with a terrifying amount of methamphetamine in his car. I commend the excellent work of our law enforcement partners, who caught the defendant, seized his deadly drugs, and ensured he will not endanger our community for a long time to come.” Special Agent in Charge Bryan DiGirolamo stated: “This case underscores the importance of strong partnerships and proactive enforcement in stopping drug traffickers who fuel addiction and violence. Thanks to the efforts of ATF NY Syracuse Field Office, the New York State Police Community Stabilization Unit, the Metro Jefferson Drug Task Force and U.S. Attorney’s Office Northern District of NY. We will continue working side by side with our law enforcement partners to hold traffickers accountable and keep our neighborhoods safe.” United States District Judge Elizabeth C. Coombe also imposed a 5-year term of supervised release to begin after Demiceli is released from prison. ATF investigated the case with assistance from the New York State Police Community Stabilization Unit and the Metro Jefferson Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Gillis prosecuted the case. ###


title: Alleged Tren de Aragua Leaders Indicted With Multiple Charges Including RICO

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that two alleged leaders of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua have been indicted by a federal grand jury in connection with a series of crimes in Colorado. These defendants are facing several charges including a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) conspiracy. The indictment alleges that the defendants, Brawins Dominique Suarez Villegas, a/k/a “Chino San Vicente,” and Giovanni Vicente Mosquera Serrano, a/k/a “Jovani San Vicente,” a/k/a “El Viejo,” and others were members and associates of the Tren de Aragua transnational criminal organization. The indictment charges Suarez Villegas and Mosquera Serrano with a RICO conspiracy, alleging that from May 2024 through on or about March of 2025, Suarez Villegas and Mosquera Serrano conducted activity for Tren de Aragua through a pattern of racketeering activity that included robbery, extortion, kidnapping, money laundering and controlled substance offenses. Suarez Villegas and Mosquera Serrano are also charged with conspiracy to commit robbery and two counts of Hobbs Act Robbery and firearms offenses in connection with the armed robberies of two jewelry stores in the Denver, Colorado area in June of 2024. Other individuals are facing federal charges related to one of the jewelry store robberies in U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado case number 24-cr-247-NYW. One of those defendants, Newman Castillo-Delgado, was sentenced to 240 months in prison on December 17, 2025, after pleading guilty to charges including Hobbs Act Robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence in connection with his role in the robbery of Joyeria El Ruby in June 2024. Suarez Villegas is also charged with conspiracy to commit kidnapping, kidnapping, cyberstalking and a firearms offense related to the kidnapping, ransom, torture and disfigurement of a victim in October of 2024 in Denver, Colorado. Other individuals are facing federal charges related to this crime in U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado case number 25-cr-077-JLK. According to the facts established at the sentencing hearing for Newman Castillo-Delgado related to the robbery of Joyeria El Ruby in June 2024, Mr. Castillo-Delgado and other co-defendants committed an armed robbery of the store, stealing nearly $4,000,000 in jewelry and gold, and brutally beat several employees with a firearm during the robbery. Multiple victims sustained injuries from the attack. The investigation is being handled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Denver Field Office, and the Denver Police Department, with assistance from the Colombian National Police GAULA ELITE unit and DEA Bogota Country Office - Group 3. In addition to the cases referenced earlier in this release, the District of Colorado this year has announced two additional federal indictments that charged 30 individuals, including Tren de Aragua leaders and members, with drug trafficking, murder-for-hire, and firearms offenses. U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado case numbers: 25-cr-063-SKC, 25-cr-233-RMR, and 25-mj-114-KAS. The Violent Crime and Immigration Enforcement Section of the United States Attorney’s Office in the District of Colorado is handling the prosecutions, along with members of Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV). JTFV was created in 2019 to eradicate MS-13 and now expanded to target Tren de Aragua, and is comprised of U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country. Those include Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; Eastern and Western Districts of North Carolina; Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia; Southern District of Florida; Eastern District of Texas; Western District of Oklahoma; Northern District of Indiana; and the District of Nevada, as well as the Executive Office for United States Attorneys and the Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the Criminal Division. Additionally, the FBI, DEA, HSI, ATF, USMS, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons are essential law enforcement partners with JTFV. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Office of Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia, provided significant assistance. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Justice Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). On February 20, 2025, the Trump Administration designated TdA as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT). The Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Mosquera Serrano. If you have information, please contact the FBI at +1 281-787-9939 (text/WhatsApp/Telegram). Mosquera Serrano Poster in English: 2025-7-1-Reward-Poster-Giovanni-Tren-de-Aragua-FBI-TOCRP.pdf Mosquera Serrano Poster in Spanish: 2025-7-1-Reward-Poster-Spanish-Giovanni-TdA-FBI-TOCRP.pdf The charges contained in the indictments are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. Case Number: 1:25-cr-00331-PAB


title: FDC Philadelphia Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse, Violating Inmate’s Civil Rights

component: Office of the Inspector General

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Michael Jefferson, 43, of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, a correctional officer at Federal Detention Center (FDC) Philadelphia, entered a plea of guilty before United States District Judge Joshua D. Wolson Wednesday afternoon on one count of aggravated sexual abuse, one count of sexual abuse, one count of sexual abuse of a ward, and one count of deprivation of rights under color of law, arising from his sexual abuse of an FDC inmate under his authority. The defendant was charged with those offenses by indictment in May of this year. As detailed in court filings and statements, in the early morning hours of July 6, 2024, Jefferson entered the cell of an inmate at the FDC and forced the victim to engage in a sexual act, resulting in bodily injury to the victim. While acting under color of law, Jefferson willfully deprived the victim of her right not to be subjected to cruel and unusual punishment, a right secured and protected by the Constitution and laws of the United States, which includes the right to be free from sexual abuse by a correctional officer. Jefferson has been suspended from his position by the Bureau of Prisons. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 7 and faces a maximum possible term of life imprisonment. This case was investigated by the Department of Justice Office of Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meghan Claiborne Bisio.


title: Rapid City Woman Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for  Interstate Methamphetamine Distribution Conspiracy

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on December 15, 2025. Ruth Kazmer, 60, was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. She was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in October of 2024. She pleaded guilty on April 30, 2025. Beginning at least in July 2022, Kazmer organized a conspiracy to transport large amounts of methamphetamine from surrounding states into western South Dakota. Kazmer financed multi-pound shipments of methamphetamine and arranged for co-conspirators to transport the methamphetamine into South Dakota. No stranger to the drug trade, Kazmer was on parole for a state conviction for distribution of methamphetamine at the time she organized this conspiracy. Kazmer was responsible for bringing at least 14.9 kilograms of methamphetamine into South Dakota, where it was destined for sale in communities throughout Rapid City and surrounding areas. Law enforcement seized over six pounds of methamphetamine during the investigation. “We are immensely grateful for our collaborative relationship with our state and local law enforcement partners whose incredible detective work led to this conviction and sentence,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “Getting meth and other drugs off the streets and dismantling the criminal organizations responsible for their distribution takes teamwork, time, dedication, and a relentless work ethic. I have nothing but respect and admiration for the highly skilled men and women of law enforcement in Rapid City and communities across South Dakota who wake up every day and risk their lives protecting our children and fellow citizens from these ruinous substances.” This case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET) and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. UNET is comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, the Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the South Dakota Highway Patrol and the South Dakota National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward C. Tarbay prosecuted the case. Kazmer was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Baltimore Fentanyl Trafficker Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – Kennard Joyner, 51, of Baltimore, Maryland, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute in federal court. Joyner led a fentanyl trafficking operation that distributed large quantities of fentanyl throughout the Baltimore area. U.S. District Judge Brendan A. Hurson then sentenced Joyner to 10 years in federal prison. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea and sentence with Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS); Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD); and Chief Gregory Der, Howard County Police Department (HCPD). According to the guilty plea, in December 2024, the DEA received a tip about a drug-proceeds money pickup in the Baltimore area. Joyner then unknowingly arranged for an undercover DEA agent to pick up approximately $252,000 in drug proceeds through a courier. Then in March 2025, Joyner instructed a courier to drop off a bag of drugs to a co-conspirator. Investigators watched as the courier provided a black bag to the co-conspirator. HCPD officers then conducted a traffic stop of the co-conspirator. When officers searched the vehicle, they recovered the black bag investigators observed the courier deliver to the co-conspirator. The bag contained approximately 100 cannisters of fentanyl, 870 gelcaps of xylazine, 20 vials of cocaine, and 21 vials of methamphetamine. Then in June 2025, law enforcement executed a search-and-seizure warrant at Joyner’s residence and at another location where Joyner rented a room. During the search of Joyner’s residence, agents recovered approximately $277,476 in cash packaged in bulk with rubber bands or in heat-sealed bags, similar to the money provided to the undercover agent in December 2024. Investigators also found multiple money ledgers. One of the money ledgers referenced 13 money drops between November 2024 through January 2025, totaling more than $2 million. At the location where Joyner rented a room, investigators seized approximately 1,975g of fentanyl mixture and 253g of cocaine. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA, BCPD, and HCPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Liane D. Kozik and Assistant U.S. Attorney James Wallner who prosecuted the case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Mexican National Sentenced to Over 3 Months for Illegally Reentering the United States

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on December 17, 2025, Samuel Alfaro-Sanchez, 31, of Mexico, was sentenced by United States District Judge Geoffrey Crawford to a term of 3 months and 20 days’ imprisonment. Alfaro-Sanchez previously pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the United States after having been found in the District of Vermont on August 13, 2025, without any lawful status to be in the country. According to court records, Alfaro-Sanchez, illegally entered the United States on numerous prior occasions. In 2008, Alfaro-Sanchez voluntarily returned to Mexico after having been apprehended near Tucson, Arizona. In 2018, Alfaro-Sanchez was removed from the United States twice after having been apprehended first near Paso Del Norte, Texas in March and then again near Sasabe, Arizona in July. In 2019, Alfaro-Sanchez was again removed from the United States after having been apprehended near El Paso, Texas. In 2020, Alfaro-Sanchez was expelled from the United States twice in September after having been apprehended on two separate occasions near Douglas, Arizona. In 2021, Alfaro-Sanchez was expelled from the United States after having been apprehended near Douglas, Arizona. First Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the United States Border Patrol. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Charles W. Kirkham. Alfaro-Sanchez was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Charles N. Curlett, Jr. 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: Columbia Man Indicted on Hate Crime and Firearm Charges

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. – A federal grand jury in Columbia, South Carolina returned an indictment charging Jonathan Andrew Felkel, 34, with violating the housing rights of his black neighbor, J.M., and for using a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence. According to court documents, on July 17, Felkel, while driving into the gated community where both he and J.M. lived, fired a gun and shouted at J.M., “You better keep running, boy!” while J.M. was standing at the gate to the community. If convicted, Felkel faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on the housing charge, and an additional 10 years in prison on the firearms charge. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; U.S. Attorney Bryan P. Stirling for the District of South Carolina; and Special Agent in Charge Kevin Moore of the FBI Columbia Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Columbia Field Office and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elle Klein and Lamar Fyall of the District of South Carolina and Trial Attorney Sarah Armstrong and Special Legal Counsel Mark Blumberg of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case. All charges in the complaint are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Norfolk man sentenced to 13 years in prison for firearm charge related to a shooting

body_text: NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced yesterday to 13 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on Jan. 21, 2023, Arthur Julius Cherry, 38, attempted to kill another individual after pursuing him from a Norfolk convenience store. Cherry pursued the target in his vehicle and fired at the target’s vehicle when it stopped. The target avoided being shot by ducking, but his brother was shot in the back. Cherry left multiple casings at the scene, which were matched to a firearm recovered from Cherry two weeks later. At the time of the incident, Cherry previously was convicted of several other crimes, including malicious wounding for shooting a man after a verbal altercation, possession with intent to distribute heroin, assault, and possession or use of a weapon. As a previously convicted felon, Cherry cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition. “This case exemplifies the importance of keeping firearms out of the hands of convicted criminals,” said Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Arthur Cherry has a history of violence and a disregard for the law. Such lawless behavior represents a significant danger, and my office is resolved that such behavior will be met with serious consequences.” “This 13-year sentence reflects the seriousness of illegally possessing a firearm and attempting to take a life—especially by someone who had already demonstrated a history of violent behavior,” said Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division. “Through coordinated efforts of our law-enforcement partners and the use of ATF’s technology –the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), a dangerous individual has been held accountable and removed from our community. This outcome truly reinforces our shared commitment to maintaining public safety and preventing acts of violence.” Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph E. DePadilla and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham Stolle prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-25.


title: Pine Ridge Woman Sentenced for Her Role in  Methamphetamine Distribution Conspiracy

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on December 15, 2025. Elisha Rose Merdanian, 21, was sentenced to two years in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Merdanian was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in December 2024. She pleaded guilty on September 18, 2025. Beginning in at least October 2023, Merdanian worked with a Pine Ridge-based source of supply to sell methamphetamine within the Pine Ridge community. Merdanian sold methamphetamine to end-users, assisted her co-conspirators in identifying potential buyers, and arranged methamphetamine sales to end-users on behalf of her co-conspirators. This case was investigated by the Badlands Safe Trails Task Force, which is comprised of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs - Division of Drug Enforcement, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward C. Tarbay prosecuted the case. Merdanian was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: Blue Ash man faces federal exploitation, pornography charges for allegedly placing hidden cameras in minor victims’ home

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – A Blue Ash man has been charged federally with child exploitation and pornography crimes for allegedly hiding spy cameras in the house of minor victims. David Mitsnefes, 32, is scheduled to appear in federal court in Cincinnati at 1:30pm today for a detention hearing. According to charging documents, between 2021 and 2025, on multiple occasions the family of teenaged victims found hidden cameras in the minors’ bedrooms. Mitsnefes allegedly used wifi to save videos of the minor occupants in various states of undress to his iPhone. He also allegedly took the victims’ underwear on numerous occasions and kept them in his bedroom. In November 2025, the family’s Ring security camera allegedly caught an image of the suspect wearing a dark hoodie and pants entering the home while the family was out of town. A subsequent search of Mitsnefes’s electronic devices revealed videos of the victims as well as numerous images and videos depicting child sexual abuse material obtained over the internet. A criminal complaint was unsealed on Dec. 17 charging the defendant with attempted sexual exploitation and possession of child pornography. Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Blue Ash Police Chief Roger Pohlman and other members of the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle J. Healey is representing the United States in this case. A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. # # #