title: First week of June sees more than 200 charged in SDTX cases in relation to enforcement efforts along southwest border

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON - A total of 202 cases have been filed from May 30-June 5 in immigration and border security matters, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. The filed cases include seven involving human smuggling. A total of 129 people are charged with illegally entering the country, while another 63 face charges of felony reentry after prior removal. Most of those individuals have prior felonies such as narcotics, violent crime, immigration crimes and more. Other relevant cases charged this week relate to other immigration crimes. One such person charged this week is Luis Humberto Gonzalez-Sanchez who was arrested for allegedly harboring 16 illegal aliens in his home in Mercedes. The criminal complaint alleges he harbored over 100 aliens in the last six months for whom he was paid $150 each. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison. Also facing new criminal charges are six Mexican nationals, all of whom had been previously convicted of illegal reentry into the United States and sentenced to terms ranging from 15-46 months in federal prison. However, their charges allege authorities had found them in the Rio Grande Valley after once again unlawfully returning without any permission to do so. Oscar Vicente Perez-Lopez, Juan Manuel De La Cruz-Mejia, Jose Luis Tostado-Flores, Jesus Morales-Vargas, Jose Patricio Rios-Rojas and Juan Manuel Alvarado-Gonzalez had allegedly been previously removed on varying dates between 2015-2023 and now face up to 20 years in prison, upon this conviction. In addition to the new cases, an illegal alien from El Salvador was sentenced for assaulting law enforcement . Authorities conducted a traffic stop in November 2024 in Rio Grande City when Oscar Adilio Sanchez-Rivera notified them of his alien status. As a Border Patrol (BP) agent attempted to place him in a vehicle, Sanchez-Rivera attempted to evade arrest, punched the agent in the face and caused an additional injury that required surgery. He will now serve 36 months in prison. “The defendant here managed to turn a simple removal case to a multi-year federal sentence,” said Ganjei. “Let this case be an example to others who may wish harm on police or federal agents; assaulting law enforcement will not be tolerated.” Also announced was the sentencing in Houston of an illegal alien for stealing a U.S. citizen’s identity . In imposing the 40-month sentence, the court noted the seriousness of the offense and that Carlos Bedolla Sanchez’s previous penalties did not do enough good or make him repentant. The investigation revealed Sanchez began using the victim’s identity in approximately March 2009 to obtain state driver’s licenses and other U.S. identification, including a passport. Following a two-day jury trial in Corpus Christi, a Houston trucker was convicted of transporting illegal aliens . A lawful permanent resident since 1989, Armando Balladares-Prado had pulled up to the BP checkpoint south of Falfurrias and seemed nervous. His vehicle was completely empty but had a seal and lock on it as if there was a full transport load in the back. Authorities soon found two individuals hidden underneath the bed of the sleeper compartment. Both were determined to be citizens of Guatemala illegally present in the United States. Balladares-Prado told the aliens to get under the bed and instructed them on what to say if law enforcement discovered them. He now faces a federal prison sentence and possible loss of his status in the United States. In Laredo, two men also learned their fate for their roles in an extensive human smuggling conspiracy and operating stash houses in Laredo and Poteet. Manuel Capetillo and Michael Diaz are attributed with smuggling over 65 aliens, including adults and children as young as six, who came from multiple countries as far south as Guatemala. Over several months, Capetillo recruited drivers, scouts and caretakers to bring aliens in from countries in Central America and transport them throughout the southern and central areas of Texas. Capetillo received an 85-month-term of imprisonment, while Diaz was ordered to serve 70 months. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the inhumane conditions in which the aliens were transported and that Capetillo and Diaz had made a business out of smuggling aliens. “You thought of these people as cattle,” he said. Another sentencing in McAllen saw an illegal alien heading to prison for 37 months for trafficking over $1 million in cocaine . At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Rolando Banda-Lucero did not have status to be in the country and got involved in narcotics trafficking for money. Also finalized this week was an adult male pretending to be a minor as he illegally entered the country. On Feb. 2, Elger Fabricio Cotto-Navarro claimed to be an unaccompanied minor so he could be housed in a special facility. The investigation revealed Cotto-Navarro was actually an adult posing as a minor. He was sentenced and now expected to face removal proceedings. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, BP, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners. The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood . Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes. An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Fort Scott man charged with trafficking methamphetamine

component: USAO - Kansas

body_text: KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with drug trafficking. According to court documents, Jeffery Michael Roark, 56, of Fort Scott is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Citizen Of Mexico Charged With Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced Higinio Mendez-Salazar, age 52, Citizen of Mexico residing in Scranton, Pennsylvania, was charged yesterday by Criminal Information with Illegal Reentry. According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on or about May 15, 2025, Mendez-Salazar was found in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, after previously having been removed from the United States. The Criminal Information also alleges that Mendez-Salazar had been removed from the United States through Hildalgo, Texas, and reentered without first obtaining legal permission to do so. The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs and Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Pennsylvania State Police. Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ), a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 2 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Weston Man Pleads Guilty to Insider Trading Offense

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that RYAN SQUILLANTE, 40, of Weston, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to an insider trading offense. According to court documents and statements made in court, working from his home, Squillante was employed as the Head of Equity Trading at Irving Investors, an investment company headquartered in Denver, Colorado. As a result of his position at Irving Investors, Squillante received material non-public information (“MNPI”) about various publicly traded companies. On 15 different occasions between August 2022 and May 2023, Squillante used MNPI for his own benefit by executing transactions in securities of these companies, making a total profit of $220,912. As an example, in February 2023, Squillante received MNPI about Praxis Precision Medicines, Inc. (“Praxis”), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company whose common stock traded on the NASDAQ. Between February 27 and March 2, 2023, Squillante “sold short” 38,086 shares of Praxis at an average price per share of approximately $3.04. On March 3, 2023, before the market opened, Praxis announced poor results from its drug trial, stating that the drug’s effects did not achieve its primary endpoint with statistical significance. Following the announcement, Squillante “covered” his short sale by purchasing 38,086 Praxis shares at an average price per share of approximately $1.82, making a profit of approximately $46,421. Squillante pleaded guilty to securities fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Judge Oliver scheduled sentencing for August 29. This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Securities and Exchange Commission. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather L. Cherry.


title: Former Owner of Fuel Truck Supply Company Sentenced to Prison for Bid Rigging and Conspiracy to Monopolize

component: Antitrust Division

body_text: The former owner of fuel truck supply companies was sentenced today in Boise, Idaho, to 12 months in prison and a $20,000 fine for his leadership role in conspiracies to monopolize, rig bids, and allocate territories for fuel truck contracts that assist the U.S. Forest Service’s efforts to battle wildfires in Idaho and the mountain west. The conduct lasted at least eight years. Ike Tomlinson pleaded guilty in May 2024 to conspiring with Kris Bird, the owner of another fuel truck company to rig bids in each other’s favor. Both individuals pleaded guilty to the charges from the federal antitrust investigation into bid rigging and other anticompetitive conduct in the fuel truck services industry. “This sentence sends a message that bid rigging—particularly bid rigging affecting federal agencies—will not be tolerated,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Defendant’s conspiracies struck at the heart of the competitive process. They damaged essential taxpayer-funded services critical to protecting the American public and its property from wildfires while profiting at the expense of American taxpayers. The Antitrust Division and its law enforcement partners will continue to ensure that individuals who cheat and deprive their communities of these essential services are incarcerated.” “Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that those who manipulate markets and undermine fair competition will be held accountable,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI's Criminal Investigative Division. “Antitrust violations harm consumers, distort markets and erode trust in our economy. The FBI remains committed to working with our partners to investigate and disrupt all forms of corporate fraud.” “Competition is critical for fair and efficient federal contracting,” said Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Jason Suffredini of the General Services Administration (GSA) Office of Inspector General (OIG). “GSA OIG special agents and our partners are committed to pursuing those who engage in any form of procurement fraud.” According to court documents, the co-conspirators coordinated their bids to inflate prices and to determine who would have priority to receive business from the U.S. Forest Service and other federal agencies in the event of a wildfire in a specific geographic area. These bids gave the false impression of competition when, in fact, the co-conspirators had predetermined who would receive priority from the Forest Service. The co-conspirators further coordinated to exclude and punish potential competitors to further maintain the success of their conspiracy. Tomlinson participated in the conduct from 2015 through 2023. The Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho, FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Boise Resident Agency, and General Services Administration Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant Chief Christopher J. Carlberg and Trial Attorneys Elena A. Goldstein, Daniel B. Twomey, and Matthew Chou of the Antitrust Division's San Francisco Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean M. Mazorol for the District of Idaho are prosecuting the case. In addition to today’s criminal sentence, on July 10, 2024, the United States, on behalf of the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, and the U.S. Small Business Administration, entered into a civil settlement with Ike Tomlinson and other related entities and individuals who agreed to pay $1.1 million to resolve civil claims related to allegations that they obtained government contracts through bid-rigging and the submission of false SAM Certifications, submitted false claims for helicopter operations support trailers, wrongly obtained a Paycheck Protection Program loan, and other conduct. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General investigated the civil case. Assistant United States Attorney Robert B. Firpo and Civil Chief James Schaefer are handling the case. In November 2019, the Justice Department created the Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF), a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government—federal, state and local. To learn more about the PCSF, or to report information on bid rigging, price fixing, market allocation and other anticompetitive conduct related to government spending, go to www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force . Anyone with information in connection with this investigation can contact the PCSF at the link listed above.


title: Federal Grand Jury Indicts Fort Campbell Soldier for Child Exploitation Offenses

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Paducah, KY – A federal grand jury in Paducah returned an indictment on April 15, 2025, charging a Fort Campbell soldier with enticement and sexual exploitation of a minor. U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky and Chief Brian Laird of the Paducah Police Department made the announcement. According to the indictment, Cameron Lawrence, 23, was charged with one count of enticement of a minor, two counts of attempted enticement of a minor, and two counts of sexual exploitation of children. The defendant made his initial court appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky on June 3, 2025. The Court ordered the defendant detained pending trial. If convicted, Lawrence faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system. This case is being investigated by the Paducah Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Three Sentenced for Pandemic-Related Unemployment Fraud, ID Theft

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Friday sentenced a man who ran a scheme that falsely obtained COVID-19 pandemic-related unemployment insurance benefits and stole dozens of identities and credit cards to 65 months in prison and ordered him to pay restitution of $116,587. Daryl Jones Jr., 46, fraudulently obtained $84,592 in COVID-19 pandemic-related unemployment insurance benefits from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania between June 22, 2020, and July 15, 2020. Jones obtained those benefits on debit cards fraudulently issued to him and four others. Four additional debit cards were issued using more stolen identities, but no unemployment benefits were deposited upon those cards. Jones obtained some of the personal identifying information to set up the accounts from his girlfriend, Cheryl Johnson, who had supervised them at various St. Louis area businesses. On June 3, 2021, Jones submitted counterfeit pay stubs from a fake business associated with Johnson to obtain a $31,700 vehicle loan. He and Johnson submitted counterfeit insurance identification cards to accept delivery of the vehicle. Jones and Johnson were using the St. Louis County home of James Whitiker to commit their crimes. On June 25, 2021, investigators performed a court-approved search of the home and found a notebook containing the names, Social Security numbers and birthdates of about 35 individuals. They also found two more pieces of paper with the identifying information of 18 other people, three stolen identification documents, nine Pennsylvania unemployment insurance benefit debit cards and stolen credit and debit cards. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is charged with defending the nation’s mail system from illegal use. With the collaborative efforts of our federal law enforcement partners, Postal Inspectors investigate fraudsters who utilize the U.S. Mail to perpetuate financial schemes to defraud others in order to enrich themselves. Postal Inspectors seek justice for victims, including the multiple individual consumer and business victims in this investigation,” said Inspector in Charge, Ruth Mendonça, who leads the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which includes the St. Louis Field Office. Jones pleaded guilty in February in U.S. District Court to three felonies: conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and wire fraud. Johnson, 44, pleaded guilty February 20 to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and wire fraud. She was sentenced May 22 to 55 months in prison and ordered to repay $116,587. Whitiker, 44, pleaded guilty in July to a conspiracy charge and was sentenced in October to three years of prison. He admitted using two debit cards during the conspiracy and admitted knowing that Jones and Johnson were using his home to commit the unemployment fraud. The U.S. Postal Service and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Berry prosecuted the case.


title: Guatemalan Citizen Indicted For Illegally Reentering The United States

body_text: HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Wilson Cesar Velasquez-Escalante, age 33, a Citizen of Guatemala, was indicted by a federal grand jury for illegally reentering the United States. According to Acting U.S. Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on or about November 4, 2024, Velasquez-Escalante was encountered in Franklin County after previously being removed from the United States. The indictment also alleges that Velasquez-Escalante had been removed from the United States on December 4, 2017, through Brownsville, Texas, and reentered without first obtaining legal permission to do so. This case was investigated by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant United States Attorney K. Wesley Mishoe is prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty upon conviction for the charged offense is two years imprisonment, one year of supervised release following imprisonment, a fine, and the imposition of a special assessment. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by a court after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Prince George’s County Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Robbery

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Greenbelt, Maryland – Today, Zebedee Alexander Johnson, 35, of Clinton, Maryland, pled guilty to the armed robbery of a Clinton convenience store. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the plea with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office, and Chief Malik Aziz, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD). According to the guilty plea, on April 29, 2022, Johnson and four others traveled to a Clinton convenience store, where they pointed a firearm at a store employee and ordered him to lie down. They then used a circular saw to break open the store’s ATM and take trays containing approximately $35,020 in U.S. currency. At the time of the armed robbery, Johnson was on federal supervised release in connection with a 2018 conviction for a drug-distribution offense. Johnson admitted that he violated the supervised-release terms, which prohibits committing any new crimes, by committing the armed robbery. Johnson faces a minimum mandatory sentence of five years and a maximum of life in federal prison, followed by up to five years of supervised release, for this offense. He also faces a maximum sentence of two years for violating his supervised release. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang scheduled sentencing for September 4, at 9:30 a.m. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and PGPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Rosenthal and William Moomau who are prosecuting the case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Eight Charged in Federal Crackdown on Treasury Check Fraud

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – Eight individuals have been charged as part of an ongoing investigation into the theft of U.S. Treasury tax refund checks in Massachusetts. According to the charging documents eight defendants in communities throughout Eastern Massachusetts have allegedly been involved in the theft of tax refund checks, totaling more than $8.8 million in 2023 and 2024. As alleged, each of the U.S. Treasury checks the defendants stole represented a tax refund or tax credit due to a bona fide taxpayer, but had been altered to be payable to shell companies the defendants controlled. Each defendant allegedly deposited one or more fraudulent checks at banks or credit unions in and around Metro Boston. The following defendants are charged in separate indictments: Gino Rosario Tyler Alexander Allegra, 31, of Brockton, charged with theft of $861,646 in government funds; Eric Banks, 70, of Quincy, charged with theft of $1,173,482 in government funds; Jesse El-Ghoul, 31, of Leominster, charged with theft of $1,355,863 in government funds; Nnamdi Opara, 30, of Woburn, charged with theft of $700,767 in government funds; Gurprit Singh, 34, of Framingham, charged with theft of $2,547,508 in government funds; Amarpreet Singh, 33, of Framingham, charged with theft of $536,214 in government funds; Lonnie Smith-Matthews, 33, of Hyde Park, charged with theft of $150,000 in government funds and bank fraud of $232,588; and Domingo Villari, 49, of Framingham, charged with theft of $1,288,575 in government funds. Banks, El-Ghoul, G. Singh, Opara, Smith-Matthews and Villari are in federal custody and will appear in Federal Court in Boston later today. Allegra and A. Singh remain at large. “As alleged, these defendants stole millions in tax refunds owed to hardworking Americans and used Massachusetts businesses and community banks to defraud the U.S. Treasury,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “Would-be thieves should understand that taking government money is not a victimless crime. If you cash or deposit a refund check that you know is not yours, you will be prosecuted. This office and its law enforcement partners are committed to rooting out fraud and abuse in the federal tax system.” “Today’s arrest demonstrates IRS-CI’s commitment to identifying, investigating, and prosecuting all instances of Treasury check theft,” said Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office. “The theft and altering of Treasury checks is a growing issue that impacts all Americans. IRS-CI will continue to work diligently to bring all those who prey on American taxpayers to justice.” “The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) aggressively investigates individuals who attempt to exploit U.S Treasury refund checks meant for hard working taxpayers for their own private gain," said TIGTA Special Agent in Charge Michael Carpenter. “TIGTA's mission is to protect the integrity of our nation's tax administration system. We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who violate federal laws are prosecuted to the fullest extent possible." The charge of theft of government funds provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five 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. U.S. Attorney Foley; IRS Acting SAC Demeo; Treasury Inspector General SAC Carpenter; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Needham Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kriss Basil and Brian Sullivan of Foley’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the cases. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


title: Western District of Texas Adds 410 New Immigration Cases Going into June

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: SAN ANTONIO –United States Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 410 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from May 30 through June 5. Among the new cases, Mexican national Albert Sanchez-Jaimes was charged with one count of illegal re-entry in Austin. Sanchez-Jaimes was encountered at the Burnet County Jail, where he was booked for alleged charges of boating while intoxicated and marijuana possession. Sanchez-Jaimes has lengthy immigration and criminal records that include four prior removals, a deadly conduct conviction in 2020, multiple convictions for assault on a family member, and two prior convictions for illegal re-entry. In Waco, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Fugitive Operations Team arrested Mexican national Daniel Edgar Perez-Cortez on June 5as the result of an investigation stemming from a Waco Crime Stoppers referral. Perez-Cortez has a prior conviction for illegal re-entry in 2024, as well as convictions for Driving While Intoxicated and possession of prohibited weapons, and a conviction for deadly conduct discharging a firearm. He’s now federally charged with illegal re-entry and, if convicted, faces up to 20 years in prison. Two Honduran nationals were arrested for illegal re-entry charges in Eagle Pass. U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested Ariel Antonio Lopez-Serrano on June 2. Lopez-Serrano was convicted in 2023 for human smuggling and was removed to Honduras through Houston on Feb. 28. On June 3, Jose Aparicio Diaz-Amaya was arrested by USBP agents, having been deported three times—the most recent removal being to Honduras on May 2 through Alexandria, Louisiana. Multiple individuals were arrested and charged with human smuggling offenses in El Paso. On May 31, U.S. citizens Cynthia Guerrero and Berenice Stevens attempted to enter the U.S. through the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry, allegedly telling the Customs and Border Protection Officer that they were returning to El Paso from a baby shower in Juarez. A criminal complaint alleges that there were seven additional people inside the vehicle, including six children. After discussion about a stack of birth certificates Guerrero provided the CBP Officer, along with a handwritten note supposedly giving Guerrero permission to transport her alleged cousin’s children into the U.S., the officer referred the vehicle to a secondary inspection. At the secondary inspection, Guerrero allegedly told CBP Officers that she was smuggling three undocumented minors into the U.S. after she had been offered $1,900 to do so. The complaint also alleges that the minors had been given seven gummies of an unknown substance to make them sleep. Three of the six minors in Guerrero’s vehicle were found to be Mexican nationals. Both Guerrero and Stevens are charged with human smuggling charges and have been previously convicted. Guerrero Two Mexican nationals were charged in a human smuggling bust after Ysleta Border Patrol Station agents responded to a location where they apprehended five illegal aliens who had just crossed into the U.S. According to a criminal complaint, several of the individuals were continuously receiving calls on their cell phones, and one individual provided consent for the agents to view, search and utilize his phone. The communications led the agents to Jose Adan Meza-Marquez , who allegedly drove a vehicle to the area where the aliens had been apprehended and confirmed he was there to pick them up. Posing as the illegal aliens, USBP agents got in Meza-Marquez’s vehicle, which allegedly transported them to a stash house being used to harbor illegal aliens. A second individual, Jose Ramiro Chavez-Leal , allegedly opened the door. The criminal complaint alleges that agents found five additional illegal aliens present at the residence and both Meza-Marquez and Chavez-Leal admitted to smuggling illegal aliens on prior occasions. Another human smuggling bust by Ysleta Border Patrol agents led to federal charges four Mexican nationals: Erasmo Ortiz-Arzola , Cesar Arturo Beltran-Rocha , Jesus Alberto Fernandez-Vazquez, and Kevin Alexis Morin-Lopez . During a knock and talk operation, agents allegedly observed 15 individuals in the living room area of an apartment, and an additional 14 elsewhere in the apartment. A criminal complaint indicates that subjects were questioned and determined to be illegal aliens from Guatemala, Mexico and El Salvador. During the arrests and subsequent investigation, the four defendants were identified as alleged pick-up drivers and caretakers. A Mexican national and convicted felon, Rosendo Dominguez-Morales , was charged with illegal re-entry and two additional counts for entering the U.S. through the National Defense Area (NDA), west of the El Paso Port of Entry. Dominguez-Morales was previously removed from the U.S. to Mexico on Aug. 20, 2024 through Brownsville, two days after he was convicted in Lyon County for assault while displaying a dangerous weapon. These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Southern California Nurse Indicted for Multi-Million Dollar Hospice Fraud in Fresno and Kern Counties

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO , Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment charging Jessa Zayas, 34, of Santa Clarita, with health care fraud and aggravated identity theft for submitting millions of dollars in of fraudulent claims for hospice care to Medicare, Acting United States Attorney Michele Beckwith announced today. Hospice is a type of care and support for terminally ill patients. Medicare is a federal health insurance program that covers certain hospice expenses. Generally, a patient must be certified as being terminally ill to qualify for hospice care payments under Medicare. According to court records, Zayas was the CEO and owner of Healing Hands Hospice and Humane Love Hospice, which are based in Van Nuys, while also working another full-time job. Zayas caused Healing Hands and Humane Love to fraudulently bill Medicare for hospice care supposedly provided to over 100 people who were not in fact terminally ill. Zayas knew these individuals were not terminally ill as was represented to Medicare, and that they therefore were ineligible for the Medicare hospice payments. The total amount of fraudulent Medicare billings caused by Zayas from June 2023 through May 2025 was at least $2,500,000. Zayas and others obtained personal Medicare information for the supposed hospice patients by going to retirement homes in Fresno and Kern Counties. To avoid detection, they made these visits after hours when most of the retirement residences’ managers were gone for the day. Zayas and others knocked on the patients’ doors and asked them for their information so that they could enroll them in hospice. Zayas then caused the Medicare claims to be submitted with false representations about terminal illness and submitted forged doctor’s certifications when Medicare asked for supporting documentation. The Medicare payments were deposited into banks accounts that Zayas controlled. The FBI and HHS OIG arrested Zayas and executed a search warrant at her home last week. Among other evidence, the FBI seized $77,000 in cash that Zayas had hidden in boxes underneath her bed. This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI and HHS OIG. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph Barton and Brittany Gunter are prosecuting the case. If convicted, Zayas faces a maximum term of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the health care fraud charge. She also faces an additional mandatory two years in prison for the aggravated identity theft charge, consecutive to any other sentence. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations. Zayas is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Two D.C. Men Plead Guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter in 2021 Killing

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Darius Robertson, 32, and Antonio Hensley, 33, both of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today in Superior Court to voluntary manslaughter charges in connection with the October 2021 killing of Andre Robertson. The guilty pleas were announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Superior Court Judge Todd E. Edelman scheduled sentencing hearings for both men for September 19, 2025. According to court documents, on October 1, 2021, near the intersection of 53rd Street NE and Clay Terrace NE, Darius Robertson struck the victim in the face and head, initiating a physical altercation. The two men fell to the ground and continued fighting until they were separated by bystanders. While the men were separated, Antonio Hensley approached the victim and struck him in the head and neck area, causing him to fall to the ground and remain motionless. Both defendants then stood over the victim as Darius Robertson continued to strike him repeatedly in the head. The assault by Robertson and Hensley ultimately caused the victim’s death, according to court documents. Robertson was arrested on December 17, 2021, and Hensley on February 23, 2022. Both men have remained in custody since their arrests. This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and handled by former Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Kimak and current Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Bromwich.


title: Former Chief Financial Officer Pleads Guilty to Theft in Connection with Health Care

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—The former Chief Financial Officer of Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) pleaded guilty Thursday for stealing money from PSMFC’s health benefit trust account. Pamela J. Kahut, 67, of Wilsonville, Oregon, pleaded guilty to theft in connection with health care. According to court documents, Kahut, as Chief Financial Officer of PSFMC, had access to and controlled PSMFC’s health benefit trust account that was created to pay benefits, fees, and other charges for PSFMC employees covered under its self-funded health care benefit program. On September 21, 2020, Kahut wrote a check in the amount of $2,812.85 from the health benefit trust account to pay for her spouse’s participation in PSFMC’s long-term care insurance program. In total, between October 2014 and September 2020, defendant stole approximately $211,083 from PSMFC’s health benefit trust account. Kahut used the funds to pay for her spouse’s long-term care annual premiums, pay off her pension loans, and to pay her credit card bills. Theft in connection with health care fraud is punishable up to 10 years in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. The charge may also result in a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gains or losses resulting from the offense. Kahut will be sentenced on September 3, 2025, before a U.S. District Judge. This case was investigated by the FBI, U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General, and U.S. Department of Energy Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Robert Trisotto, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.


title: Drug Supplier from Lowell Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Role in Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – A Lowell man was sentenced on June 4, 2025 in federal court in Boston for conspiring with gang members to traffic methamphetamine pills made to look like the legitimate pharmaceutical product, Adderall. Brian Gingras, a/k/a “Cheech,” 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to nine years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release. In January 2025 , Gingras pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine. Gingras was a drug supplier in an extensive distribution network involving Asian Boyz gang member, Bill Phim, a/k/a “Bonez.” Between May 2022 and September 2022, Gingras delivered over 5,000 counterfeit Adderall pills – which were referred to as “Ads,” “Addies,” or simply, “A’s” – to Phim on numerous occasions. Phim then sold the pills to an undercover federal agent for more than $18,000. Chemical testing confirmed that the pills contained a dangerous compound of methamphetamine and caffeine. During a search of Gingras’ residence, hundreds of additional counterfeit “Adderall” pills as well as counterfeit “Xanax” pills and a pill press were discovered. The search also revealed that Gingras maintained a storage unit where he kept a loaded firearm and over 30 kilograms of counterfeit “Adderall” pills made with caffeine only, bags of suspected marijuana as well as boxes of THC extract and edible products. Phim was sentenced by Judge Gorton in May 2025 to 10 years in prison. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Superintendent Gregory C. Hudon of the Lowell Police Department made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; and the Billerica, Haverhill, North Andover and Salem Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred M. Wyshak, III of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/PSN . This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Monroe Michigan Man Arrested for Calling-In Hoax Bomb Threat  for a Flight at Detroit Metro Airport

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT - A Monroe, Michigan, resident was arrested on a criminal complaint for calling Spirit Airlines and reporting a fake bomb threat for a flight departing from Detroit Metropolitan Airport yesterday, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division. Charged was John Charles Robinson, 23. According to the affidavit, on June 5, 2025, at approximately 6:25 am, an individual later identified as Robinson, used a cellphone to call into Spirit Airlines and conveyed false information about a bomb threat to Flight 2145 departing from Detroit Metro bound for Los Angeles. During the call, Robinson stated in part, “I was calling about 2145… because I have information about that flight,” and “there’s gonna be someone who’s gonna try to blow up the airport,” and “there’s gonna be someone that’s gonna try to blow up that flight, 2145.” After giving a description of an individual, he then stated: “they’re going to be carrying a bomb through the TSA,” and “they’re still threatening to do it, they’re still attempted to do it, they said it’s not going to be able to be detected. Please don’t let that flight board.” The flight was immediately canceled, and the flight’s passengers and crew were deplaned. Bomb sniffing dogs and FBI agents were deployed to sweep the airplane. No bomb or explosives were found. Agents soon learned that Robinson was booked on Flight 2145 but missed the flight and was told at the gate that he needed to rebook. FBI agents subsequently arrested Robinson when he returned to the airport to depart on another flight bound for Los Angeles. U.S. Attorney Gorgon said, “No American wants to hear the words ‘bomb’ and ‘airplane’ in the same sentence. Making this kind of threat undermines our collective sense of security and wastes valuable law enforcement resources.” “Anyone who threatens to bomb an aircraft and endanger public safety will be swiftly investigated and brought to justice,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “The alleged bomb threat prompted a coordinated response by our FBI Detroit Joint Terrorism Task Force, in partnership with the Wayne County Airport Authority Police Department and the U.S. Federal Air Marshal Service, leading to the arrest of John Robinson as he attempted to board another flight at Detroit Metropolitan Airport. We remain committed to protecting the public and confronting those who seek to spread fear in our communities.” Robinson appeared in federal court in Detroit this afternoon and was released on bond. His next court appearance will be June 27 for a preliminary examination. The charges in a complaint are merely allegations. A defendant remains innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. This case is being investigated by special agents from the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hank Moon and Douglas Salzenstein are prosecuting the case.


title: Louisville Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Child Exploitation Offenses

body_text: Louisville, KY – A Louisville man was sentenced on June 3, 2025, to 20 years in federal prison for numerous child exploitation offenses. U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations, Nashville, made the announcement. According to court documents Robert Razor, 57, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release, for one count of attempted online enticement of a minor, one count of online enticement of a minor, one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, one count of receipt of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. “We must and we will do everything we can to protect children of this Commonwealth from heinous acts of sexual exploitation,” said U.S. Attorney Bumgarner. “Sexual predators should take note: under this Administration, we will bring the full force of the federal government against you when we learn that you have preyed upon our children.” There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by HSI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle M. Yannelli prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.” ###


title: Marathon County Man Sentenced to 11 Years for Leading Methamphetamine Trafficking Organization

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Joshua L. Lake, 32, Stratford, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 11 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine and possessing a firearm as a felon. This prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Lake pleaded guilty to these charges on February 26, 2025. In early 2024, investigators with the Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force began investigating a group of individuals, led by Lake, who were distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine in the Marathon County area. On February 26, 2024, Lake sold 118 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant at Lake’s residence in Stratford, Wisconsin. Other co-defendants completed additional controlled purchases of methamphetamine in March and April 2024. On April 15, 2024, Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force officers executed a search warrant at Lake’s residence. Officers found approximately 2 kilograms of methamphetamine, 1 kilogram of cocaine, 2 rifles, over $25,000 in cash, drug ledgers, and other drug trafficking paraphernalia during the search. Further investigation revealed that between January 22, 2024, and April 15, 2024, Lake distributed approximately 23 kilograms of methamphetamine and 6 kilograms of cocaine. Lake also delivered a firearm to a drug cartel contact in exchange for drugs. Lake admitted receiving the firearm in exchange for methamphetamine. Lake is prohibited from legally possessing a firearm due to prior felony convictions. At sentencing, Judge Conley described Lake’s conduct, including his drug trafficking and involvement with firearms, as egregious and said the quantity of almost pure methamphetamine found at his residence was stunning. Three others were charged in connection with this drug trafficking organization. Mercadys Perkins was convicted of conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and sentenced to 6 years in federal prison on April 17, 2025. Dustin Brunker was convicted of conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and sentenced to 7 years in federal prison on April 24, 2025. Jessica Colby was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and sentenced to 2 ½ years in federal prison on May 1, 2025. The charges against Lake were the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force comprised of investigators from the FBI, Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Mountain Bay Police Department, Wausau Police Department and Wisconsin National Guard Counter Drug Program. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force also assisted with the case. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. The Marathon County District Attorney’s Office also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case. This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.


title: Justice Department Files Statement of Interest in Oregon Elections Case Concerning States’ Obligations Under the National Voter Registration Act

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: Note: View statement of interest here . The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a Statement of Interest in Judicial Watch v. Reed , No. 6:24-cv-1783 (D. Ore.) regarding the requirements under the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) for states to maintain and make available for public inspection records concerning list maintenance to ensure the accuracy of the official list of eligible voters. The lawsuit filed by Judicial Watch alleges that the State of Oregon failed to comply with the state’s obligations under the NVRA to conduct a list maintenance program and to make the records concerning list maintenance publicly available. Advancing President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order to preserve and protect the integrity of American elections, the Attorney General of the United States, through the Civil Rights Division, enforces NVRA mandates. “Accurate voter registration rolls are critical to ensure that elections in Oregon are conducted fairly, accurately, and without fraud,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “States have specific obligations under the list maintenance provisions of the NVRA, and the Department of Justice will vigorously enforce those requirements.” More information about voting and elections is available on the Justice Department’s website at www.justice.gov/voting . Complaints about possible violations of federal voting rights laws can be submitted through the Civil Rights Division’s website at civilrights.justice.gov or by telephone at 1-800-253-


title: Convicted Felon Sentenced for Machine Gun Possession

body_text: WASHINGTON – Rashaw Henry, 30, of Hyattsville, Maryland, was sentenced yesterday in Superior Court for being in possession of a machine gun, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Henry was found guilty at trial, on January 24, 2025, of unlawful possession of a firearm (prior conviction), carrying a pistol without a license, possession of a machine gun, possession of an unregistered firearm, and possession of a controlled substance. Superior Court Judge Deborah Israel sentenced Henry to 60 months of incarceration; however, all but 24 months of the time was suspended on the condition that Henry successfully complete two years of supervised probation. According to the government’s evidence at trial, on March 21, 2024, MPD officers were monitoring the unit block of M Street NE, when an officer observed Henry in possession of approximately one pound of marijuana. When officers arrested Henry, they recovered a Glock 23 handgun from his waistband. The Glock was equipped with a conversion switch that turned the semi-automatic handgun into a fully automatic handgun. The Glock was loaded with 18 rounds in a 22-round capacity magazine and one round in the chamber. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anne Cotter and William Gandy, who prosecuted the case.


title: Two Venezuelan Nationals Accused of ‘Jackpotting’ ATMs in Missouri

body_text: ST. LOUIS – Two men from Venezuela have been indicted and accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars from hacked ATMs in Missouri. Berny Alberson Meza-Rojas, 22, and Anthony Brijan Sorondo, 31, were each indicted June 4, 2025, with one count of conspiracy to commit bank larceny. They appeared in U.S. District Court in St. Louis Friday and pleaded not guilty to the charge. The indictment accuses the men’s co-conspirators of tampering with the ATMs so that they could take control and cause the ATMs to dispense substantial amounts of money. On March 27, 2025, Sorondo, Meza-Rojas and others took more than $11,000 from ATMs in Bloomsdale and Herculaneum. From March 29 to March 30, they took more than $70,000 from ATMs in O’Fallon, Festus, Ste. Genevieve and Cape Girardeau, the indictment says. A motion seeking to have both men remain in jail until trial says they are from Venezuela but entered the United States illegally. They also have been linked to jackpotting incidents in Iowa and Kentucky, the motion says. The conspiracy charge carries a potential penalty of up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine. A charge set forth in an indictment is merely an accusation and does not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. The case was investigated by the FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, police departments in O’Fallon, Cape Girardeau, Festus, St. Charles County and Ste. Genevieve and the Ste. Genevieve County Sheriff's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Ladendorf is prosecuting the case.


title: Madison Man Sentenced to 7 Years for Fentanyl Trafficking

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Arminius D. Jones, 49, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 87 months in federal prison for distributing fentanyl and possessing 40 grams or more of fentanyl intended for distribution. Jones pleaded guilty to these charges on March 21, 2025. Between May 15, 2024, and July 1, 2024, Jones sold fentanyl pills to an undercover police officer in Madison, Wisconsin, on three occasions. On July 9, 2024, police searched his home in Madison and found approximately 7,000 fentanyl pills, money from Jones’s sales to the undercover officer, over $2,000 in additional cash, and multiple digital scales and drug ledgers. Police also found a handgun, a loaded extended magazine, and multiple boxes of ammunition within arm’s reach of the drugs. At sentencing, Judge Peterson found that the level of drug dealing Jones engaged in surpassed supporting a substance abuse habit. He also found the gap in Jones’s criminal history exposed his vulnerability to returning to crime even after a long time. Judge Peterson was also very concerned about the dangers posed from dealing fentanyl in terms of its potential for addiction and overdose, and he expressed disappointment in the way Jones fed on the illnesses of others. Jones’s possession of a gun was an aggravating factor and showed he was aware of the potential for violence and that violence is a natural corollary when a gun is present. The charges against Jones were the result of an investigation conducted by the Dane County Narcotics Task Force, City of Madison Police Department, and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, which consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Ayala prosecuted this case.


title: Canadian National Pleads Guilty to Possessing 90 Pounds of  Ecstasy Intended for Distribution

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: TOLEDO, Ohio – A Canadian citizen has admitted to having possession of 90 pounds of a Schedule I controlled substance, typically used as a party drug, which he intended to further distribute. According to court documents, on Aug. 7, 2024, a U.S. Border Patrol agent observed a compact sport utility vehicle with Canadian license plates parked in a service plaza parking lot near the interstate 80/90 Ohio turnpike in Sandusky County. After the agent ran a check on the license plates, it was found that the vehicle entered the U.S. from Canada on Nov. 21, 2023. The agent proceeded to have a consensual encounter with the driver, Dontavius Forbes, 27, to inquire about his visitation status since the vehicle’s last entry into the country was more than 180 days prior. During the consensual search of the SUV, agents observed what appeared to be aftermarket modifications to the rear cargo area. In the rear cargo floor panel agents discovered a hidden compartment packed with 20 vacuum sealed packages containing a crystal-like substance. Upon further search of the vehicle, a second hidden compartment was also found which provided access to the other compartment containing the suspected illegal drugs. A field test of one of the packages tested positive for methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). MDMA is more commonly known as ecstasy or molly, and typically used by adolescents and young adults as a “party drug” because it lowers inhibitions, according to DEA.gov . Agents also seized nearly $3,000 in U.S. currency from the vehicle. During the investigation, the packages recovered from the vehicle were submitted to a forensic laboratory for analysis which confirmed the accuracy of the field test indicating the presence of MDMA. On June 6, 2025, Forbes pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance for which he faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 16, 2025. This investigation was conducted by the U.S. Border Patrol-Sandusky Bay Station and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank H. Spryszak prosecuted the case for the Northern District of Ohio.


title: Arrest Made in Indictment Charging Three Individuals with Felony Murder and Armed Robbery

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

body_text: WASHINGTON – Avery Taylor, 20, of Washington, D.C., was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service on a bench warrant yesterday that was issued after the grand jury returned an indictment in May 2025, charging him with first degree murder while armed, armed robbery, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and carrying a pistol without a license. The arrest was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, U.S. Marshal Anthony Dixon and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Taylor was arraigned today before Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt who ordered Taylor held without bond until a July 1, 2025 detention hearing. On August 16, 2024, Rayon Davis Jr., 18, and Quintin Reed, 18 were also arrested and charged in connection in the incident. They are also being held without bond. An indictment, returned on May 7, 2025, charges all three men. According to the court documents, defendants are members of a 7D crew located in the Woodland Terrance neighborhood that calls itself “On the Clock Gang” or “OCG.” On December 20, 2023, inside of a stairwell located at 2921 Knox Place SE, the three defendants shot Dwayne Barbour, 39, while they were robbing him of an authentic Rolex 36mm Datejust Gold/Stainless Steel watch, containing 15 carats in diamonds. Mr. Barbour had legally purchased the watch from a jewelry store for approximately $10,000. Mr. Barbour died eleven days later, on December 31, 2023. This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Marshals Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Sellinger and John Parron. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Mexican National Unlawfully Residing in Oregon Found Guilty of Illegally Reentering the United States After Removal

body_text: PORTLAND, Ore.—A federal jury in Portland found Nelson Pablo-Morales, 32, a Mexican national unlawfully residing in Beaverton, Oregon, guilty Thursday for illegally reentering the United States. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in 2015, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers learned of Pablo-Morales’ unlawful presence in Oregon after he was arrested by local authorities for reckless driving and driving under the influence of intoxicants in Beaverton. In May 2017, Pablo-Morales was removed from the United States by order of an immigration judge. In February 2025, Pablo-Morales was arrested again by ICE officers in Washington County, Oregon. On March 12, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a one-count indictment charging Pablo-Morales with illegal reentry. Pablo-Morales faces a maximum sentence of two years in prison, a $250,000 fine and one year of supervised release. He will be sentenced on June 9, 2025, before a U.S. District Judge. The case was investigated by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations and was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon. 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: Muskogee Resident Pleads Guilty To Illegally Possessing Ammunition

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that DaQurius Razjoune Johnson, aka Daquarius Razjoune Johnson, age 33, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Ammunition, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.00. The Indictment charged Johnson with knowingly possessing thirty-five rounds of ammunition on July 24, 2024, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment. The charge arose from an investigation by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Johnson will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.


title: 35 Year Old Man Arrested for Child Exploitation

body_text: SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico andSpecial Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office Devin J. Kowalski, announced that a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging Henry Manuel Sepúlveda-Cruzado, age 35, of Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, with production and possession of child pornography material. On June 5, 2025, FBI special agents arrested Sepúlveda-Cruzado. According to court documents, between approximately November 2023 and February 2024, Henry Manuel Sepúlveda-Cruzado knowingly employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced a female minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of that conduct. During this period, the defendant also possessed child pornography material involving the minor on his electronic device. If convicted, Sepúlveda-Cruzado faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in prison for production of child pornography, and up to 10 years in prison for possession of child pornography. The final sentence will be determined by a federal district court judge, who will consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. “The sexual abuse of children is intolerable and victimizes the most innocent and vulnerable members of our community,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “We will continue working to identify, arrest and prosecute those who steal the innocence of our children.” “There is no place in our communities for predators who exploit children—none,” said the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office, Devin J. Kowalski. “The FBI will hunt these criminals down and ensure they are held fully accountable for their heinous acts. The public can rest assured that we will not hesitate, and we will not relent. To those targeting our youth, we’re coming for you. The FBI and our partners will make sure you face justice.” The FBI is investigating the case with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Police Bureau. Assistant US Attorney (AUSA) Elba Gorbea of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Mexican Man Indicted for Illegal Reentry

body_text: BOSTON – A Mexican man was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury for illegally reentering the United States after deportation. Ausencio Flores Salazar, 34, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Flores Salazar is currently in immigration custody and will be arraigned in federal court in Boston on June 11, 2025. According to the charging document Flores Salazar was deported to Mexico in 2019. It is alleged that, sometime after his removal, Flores Salazar unlawfully reentered the United States. He was allegedly encountered on or about May 12, 2025. The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. 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 Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Noto of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Henryetta Resident Pleads Guilty To Illegally Possessing Firearms

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Joshua Devn Page, age 34, of Henryetta, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm, punishable by up to fifteen years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine. The Indictment charged Page with knowingly possessing two firearms on December 18, 2024, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment. The charges arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Henryetta Police Department, and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police Department. The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Page will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan E. Soverly and Emily Wittlinger represented the United States.


title: Jamaican Woman Indicted for Illegal Reentry

body_text: BOSTON – A Jamaican woman was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury for illegally reentering the United States after deportation. Tanya James, 53, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. James is currently in immigration custody and will be arraigned in federal court in Boston on June 11, 2025. According to the charging document, on or about May 12, 2025, James was found to have unlawfully reentered the United States after previously being deported in 2004. The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. 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 Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Noto of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Mexican National and California Man Charged Following Seizure of Over 45 Kilograms of Fentanyl Pills and Powder

component: USAO - Arizona

number: 2025-089_Carrillo, et al.

body_text: PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jose Angel Gonzalez-Carrillo, 46, of Modesto, California, and Ethyel Aldahyr Ontiveros-Flores, 25, of Mazatlan, Mexico, were arrested on the evening of June 2, 2025, and charged by criminal complaint for conspiring to distribute over 36 kilograms of fentanyl pills, and over 9 kilograms of fentanyl powder. On June 2, 2025, Gonzalez-Carrillo coordinated the sale of approximately 10,000 fentanyl pills to a purported third party in Phoenix, Arizona. Ontiveros-Flores delivered the initial batch of pills, as well as a second delivery of over 90,000 pills later that same day, which was also coordinated by Gonzalez-Carrillo. After the second delivery, law enforcement officers arrested both Gonzalez-Carrillo and Ontiveros-Flores. During a subsequent search of property belonging to Ontiveros-Flores, law enforcement officers discovered over 200,000 additional fentanyl pills, as well as nine packages containing fentanyl powder, each weighing approximately one kilogram. A conviction for possessing 400 grams or more of fentanyl for distribution carries a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and a term of supervised release of at least five years, up to life. A criminal complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The DEA is conducting the investigation in this case, with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations, the City of Goodyear Police Department, Arizona Department of Public Safety, and the Arizona State University Police Department. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution. CASE NUMBER: 25-MJ-8318-JZB RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-089_Carrillo, et al. # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Naugatuck Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possessing Child Sex Abuse Material While on State Probation

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TRAVIS TILLEY, 41, of Naugatuck, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 120 months of imprisonment, followed by 15 years of supervised release, for possessing child sex abuse material while on state probation for prior child exploitation offenses. According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2019, Tilley was convicted in state court of risk of injury to a child, which involved his sexual abuse of a five-year-old victim, and possession of child pornography. In August 2022, he was released from state custody and began serving a 15-year term of probation. On March 9, 2023, state probation officers conducted an unannounced visit to Tilley’s residence and seized his laptop and a flash drive. Analysis of the seized items revealed that Tilley had utilized prohibited software and had accessed sites that provide sexually explicit material; that he was using encrypted email and messenger services; that he had used an operating system that is configured to leave no digital footprint; and that he was a member of internet chat rooms that focused on child pornography and AI-generated child pornography. The analysis also revealed two videos depicting the sexual exploitation of prepubescent children, approximately 60 images of AI-generated child pornography, and sexually explicit chat room messages sent by the laptop user. Tilley has been detained since his state arrest on March 28, 2023. On March 6, 2025, he pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of child pornography. This investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the assistance of the Connecticut Court Support Services Division – Adult Probation Services and the Westport Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings with the assistance of the Office of the State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of Waterbury. This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com .


title: U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer Charged with Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer Anthony John Crowley has been charged with possession of child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. According to court documents, Anthony John Crowley, 52, of Minnetonka, Minnesota, did knowingly possess one or more matters which contained visual depictions of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. “In recent months, we have seen a rash of agents, officers, and public officials engaging in crimes against children,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Let there be no misunderstanding: the U.S. Attorney’s Office has zero tolerance for people in positions of trust and authority who abuse children. Zero.” “All U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees are required and expected to abide by the laws they enforce. CBP stresses professionalism, honor, and integrity in every aspect of CBP’s mission,” stated Elizabeth Cervantes, acting Executive Director of CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), Investigative Operations. “CBP OPR is committed to hold anyone accountable who betrays the public’s trust, while supporting the men and women who proudly uphold their duties to serve and protect.” “When those who take an oath to uphold the law become the ones who break it in the most egregious way, it erodes the public’s faith in our institutions,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “We are seeing a troubling pattern — multiple arrests in recent months involving individuals in positions of authority charged with exploiting children. Let one thing be clear: position and power will not shield you from accountability. If you harm a child, the FBI and our law enforcement partners will find you. And no matter who you are, we will bring you to justice.” Crowley made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court today, before Magistrate Judge Dulce J. Foster, and was ordered to remain in custody pending further proceedings. The U.S. Attorney’s Office thanks the US Customs and Border Protection Office of Professional Responsibility, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension for their investigation and hard work on this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca E. Kline is prosecuting the case. A complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Wewoka Resident Pleads Guilty To Federal Firearm Crime

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Demontrae Davion Rogers, age 20, of Wewoka, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession of a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial Number, punishable by up to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.00. The Indictment alleged that on April 2, 2024, Rogers knowingly and unlawfully possessed a semi-automatic pistol which had the serial number or other required identification obliterated, removed, changed, or altered. The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Seminole Nation Lighthorse Police. The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Rogers will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob R. Parker represented the United States.


title: Baltimore Man Sentenced for Attempted Armed Robbery of Family-Owned Restaurant

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – Today, Chief United States District Court Judge George L. Russell, III sentenced Malik Thompson, 23, of Baltimore, Maryland, to eight years and one month in federal prison for his role in the attempted armed robbery of a family-owned restaurant, which resulted in the death of his co-conspirator. Thompson previously pleaded guilty to one count of attempted interference with commerce by violence – the Hobbs Act robbery. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office, and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD). Thompson and two co-conspirators targeted employees of a family-owned restaurant after discovering that they regularly transported the business's cash to their North Baltimore residence. Instead of robbing the restaurant directly, the conspirators planned to ambush the family at their home when they arrived with the day’s profits. On the evening of August 10, 2020, Thompson and his accomplices executed their plan, waiting near the family's residence. When the family returned home, one of Thompson's co-conspirators brandished a 9mm semi-automatic handgun, confronted the victims, and demanded their money. After the family members resisted, the armed accomplice fired his weapon, striking one victim in the leg. The wounded victim, acting in self-defense, drew his personal firearm and returned fire, fatally wounding the armed robber. Thompson and the second accomplice immediately fled the scene by vehicle, abandoning their wounded co-conspirator who died from his injuries hours later. Following the incident, Thompson fled to an Owings Mills residence. Federal and local investigators conducted a thorough investigation of the crime scene, recovering crucial physical evidence, including a shoe that fell off as the perpetrators fled. DNA analysis of the recovered shoe matched Thompson's DNA profile, directly linking him to the crime scene. Additional evidence gathered during the investigation included cell-site location data and text-message records that further corroborated Thompson's participation in the conspiracy and attempted armed robbery. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and BPD for their investigative efforts. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Gordin 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: Vallejo Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

body_text: SACRAMENTO , Calif. — John Robert Remlinger, 43, of Vallejo, pleaded guilty to today sexual exploitation of a minor, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. According to court documents, in the summer of 2021, Remlinger contacted Minor Victim 1 over the internet using a smartphone application named Wink. Wink was advertised as a service for minors to meet and befriend other minors. Remlinger told Minor Victim 1 that he was 17 even though he was actually 39. Minor Victim 1 responded, accurately, that she was 13. They soon moved their conversations from Wink to another smartphone application, Snapchat. Remlinger, using Snapchat, repeatedly demanded Minor Victim 1 provide sexually explicit videos and images, directing her how to pose. Minor Victim 1 complied and sent him videos and images of herself. Remlinger also recorded a live video call over Snapchat during which Minor Victim 1 posed in a sexually suggestive manner. This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Fogg is prosecuting the case. Remlinger is scheduled for sentencing on Sept. 12, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins. Remlinger faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison up to a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release, restitution, and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.


title: Guatemalan National Charged with Illegal Reentry

body_text: BOSTON – A Guatemalan national residing in Waltham has been indicted by a federal grand jury for unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation. Mynor Lopez-Lopez, a/k/a Mynor Alexander Lopez, 37, was charged with one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Lopez was arrested by immigration authorities on May 7, 2025. He will appear in federal court in Boston on June 26, 2025. According to the indictment, Lopez was deported from the United States on March 24, 2009. It is alleged that, sometime after his 2009 removal, Lopez illegally reentered the United States without permission. The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. 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 Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Zacks of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty To Unlawful Reentry

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Carlos Mendoza-Padilla, aka Marvin Antino, aka Carlos Ivan Mendoza-Padilla, aka Carlos Ivan Mendoza, a Honduran national unlawfully present in Carter County, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by up two years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine. The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Carter County Sheriff’s Office. The Indictment alleged that on May 4, 2025, Mendoza-Padilla, an alien, was found in the United States after having been previously removed on two separate occasions without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Mendoza-Padilla will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dak T. Cohen represented the United States.