title: Saratoga Springs Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Charges

component: USAO - New York, Eastern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jeffrey Hart, age 50, of Saratoga Springs, New York, pled guilty last Thursday to distribution and possession of child pornography. The announcement was made by United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Hart admitted that, after being convicted of the New York State offense of possessing a sexual performance by a child, he used an Internet-based group messaging application to send a video depicting the sexual abuse of a child to another user. Hart also admitted to possessing at least 79 images and 29 videos depicting the sexual abuse of children on his cell phone. Acting United States Attorney Sarcone stated: “This guilty plea demonstrates our continued commitment to protecting children from those who seek to exploit them. Individuals who traffic in child sexual abuse material inflict profound harm, and my Office will pursue them with the full force of federal law. We are grateful for the dedication of our law enforcement partners, who worked tirelessly to bring this defendant to justice.” Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the HSI Buffalo Field Office, said: “Crimes involving the exploitation of children are among the most serious and disturbing we confront. HSI remains steadfast in its mission to investigate offenders, support victims, and collaborate closely with our federal and local partners. This case underscores that those who distribute or possess these materials will be held fully accountable.” Sentencing is scheduled for April 3, 2026, before United States District Judge Anne M. Nardacci. Because of his prior conviction, Hart faces a mandatory minimum term of 15 years in prison on the distribution charge and 10 years in prison on the possession charge; a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years in prison on the distribution charge and 20 years in prison on the possession charge; a fine of up to $250,000; and a term of supervised release of between 5 years and up to life. Hart also will have to pay restitution to victims, forfeit property he used to commit the offenses, and be required to register as a sex offender. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statutes a defendant violated, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. The case was investigated by HIS, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashlyn Miranda is prosecuting the case. Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . ###


title: Onondaga County Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child Pornography

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kurt Dobler, 31, of Syracuse, New York pled guilty last week to possession of child pornography. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement. As part of his guilty plea, Dobler admitted that he was convicted in February 2023 in Fulton County Court of possessing a sexual performance by a child and was sentenced to 10 years’ probation. While on probation for that crime, in May 2025 he knowingly possessed thousands of child pornography files on his cellphone, including files depicting the sexual abuse of infants. At sentencing on March 31, 2026, Dobler faces a mandatory minimum imprisonment term of 10 years and a maximum of 20 years, a term of supervised release of at least five years and up to life, restitution to victims, forfeiture of the device used to commit the offense, special assessments, fines, and registration as a sex offender upon release from prison. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. Acting U.S. Attorney Sarcone said: “The defendant was completely undeterred from this heinous conduct despite a prior State conviction for doing the same thing, presumably because he received a slap-on-the-wrist probationary sentence. Now he will be spending at least a decade in jail. That’s the power of federal law enforcement, and my Office won’t hesitate to use it on repeat sex offenders like this defendant.” “Kurt Dobler's guilty plea is a stark reminder of the depravity that HSI works tirelessly to confront in defense of our children,” said Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge, HSI Buffalo. “The defendant's admitted actions are nothing short of monstrous and have no place in a civilized society. I commend the unyielding determination of HSI Syracuse personnel and our law enforcement partners in ensuring this predator is held accountable and justice is delivered for the innocent victims.” This case was investigated by HSI in coordination with the New York State Police and the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office. United States Border Patrol and Customs and Border Protection assisted in the search. Assistant United States Attorney Michael D. Gadarian is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood. Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc . ###


title: New Jersey Man Charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base and Possession of Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crime

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on December 4, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Christopher Crawford, 36, of Sicklerville, New Jersey, with possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Crawford has not yet been arraigned. According to court records, Crawford is currently detained pending trial by the State of Vermont on charges of first-degree murder, cocaine possession, methamphetamine possession, and possession of a firearm after violent crime conviction. The State alleges that on September 4, 2022, Crawford snuck up on and murdered a man by shooting him twice in the back of the head while the man sat with his girlfriend in Burlington City Hall Park. Three days after the shooting on September 7, 2022, Burlington Police Department stopped a vehicle in which Crawford was riding and found a loaded .357 magnum revolver and a .380 semi-automatic pistol, as well as 49 grams of cocaine base, 97 grams of cocaine, 6 grams of methamphetamine, and 3 grams of fentanyl, in Crawford’s backpack and bag. The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Crawford is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Crawford faces up to life imprisonment if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors. First Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the Burlington Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The prosecutor is Special Assistant United States Attorney Craig S. Nolan. Defense counsel has not been appointed yet for Crawford in federal court.


title: Riverton man sentenced to 210 months’ imprisonment for distribution of child pornography

component: USAO - Wyoming

body_text: United States Attorney Darin Smith announced today that Luke Everrett David, 25, of Riverton, Wyoming was sentenced to 210 months’ imprisonment with 10 years of supervised release for the distribution of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Dec. 4 in Casper. According to court documents, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) received eight CyberTip reports between December 2024 and March 2025. The reports had been submitted to NCMEC from MediaLab/Kik and appeared to be related through common email addresses tied to the defendant. Investigators obtained search warrants for the defendant’s accounts and devices. Based on the forensic analysis of the defendant’s Kik accounts, he is accountable for at least 175 videos and 69 images of child pornography, which included distribution of a new child pornography image and receipt of artificial intelligence (AI) morphed child pornography images. Restitution for the victims remains open and will be determined in the next 90 days. The DCI ICAC Task Force investigated the crime and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie R. Morrison prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's 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 . Case No. 25-CR-00095


title: FORT WALTON BEACH MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO DISTRIBUTION OF METHAMPHETAMINE

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Travaess McLemore, 41, of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the outstanding work of our state and federal law enforcement partners, another drug dealer has been removed from our streets. The residents of the Northern District of Florida deserve to live in safe, drug-free communities, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute anyone attempting to flood our streets with deadly drugs to achieve that outcome.” Court documents reflect that on August 13, 2025, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on the defendant’s vehicle. During the traffic stop a canine alerted to the odor of narcotics. A search of the vehicle revealed 84 grams of methamphetamine. On the same date, deputies conducted a search warrant at the defendant’s residence and located approximately 1,548 grams of methamphetamine. Due to a prior conviction for a serious drug offense, McLemore faces a minimum term of 15 years’ imprisonment with a maximum of life imprisonment. Sentencing is scheduled for February 10, 2026, at 10:00 am before United States District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II. The case involved a joint investigation by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey M. Tharp is prosecuting the case. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF comprises agents and officers from multiple agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Georgia State Representative charged with pandemic unemployment fraud

component: USAO - Georgia, Northern

body_text: ATLANTA - Sharon Henderson, a member of the Georgia House of Representatives, was arrested today and should appear in court this afternoon after a federal grand jury charged her with two counts of theft of government funds and ten counts of making false statements. “It is shocking that a public official would allegedly lie to profit from an emergency program designed to help suffering community members,” said United States Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Politicians who violate the public trust and steal from the needy to enrich themselves will be held accountable.” “Sharon Henderson allegedly chose greed over compassion by fraudulently obtaining funds meant to help those in need, some in her own Georgia House district,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “We remain committed to find those who take advantage of federal programs meant to help those truly in need.” “An important part of the mission of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General is to investigate allegations of fraud involving unemployment insurance programs. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate these types of allegations,” said Mathew Broadhurst, Special Agent in Charge, Southeast Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. “Nobody is above the law, especially Georgia’s elected officials. This indictment should send a clear message that theft of government funds intended for qualified citizens will not be tolerated,” said Georgia State Inspector General Nigel Lange. “GA-OIG appreciates the efforts of our state and federal partners in bringing this case for prosecution.” According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: In 2020, in response to the forced closures of businesses and unprecedented economic hardship resulting from the COVID-19 emergency, the U.S. Congress created special unemployment compensation programs to provide cash assistance to individuals who lost their jobs due to the pandemic. Applicants for the programs had to provide their recent work histories and confirm, among other things, that COVID-19 was the reason they were unemployed. Applicants also had to provide a certification for every week for which they wished to claim benefits, attesting to whether they were actively seeking work for the week and the reason they were unemployed. In June 2020, while a candidate for a Georgia House seat, Henderson allegedly applied for federal pandemic unemployment benefits claiming that her current employer was Henry County Schools. Although Henderson had worked as a substitute teacher for Henry County Schools for five days in 2018 (almost two years prior), she had not worked for Henry County Schools since then. Additionally, the Substitute Teacher Agreement Henderson signed in 2018 included an acknowledgment that substitute teachers are not eligible to draw unemployment wages. Nevertheless, Henderson allegedly stated in the application that she had worked for the school system throughout 2019 and as recently as March 10, 2020; that she had paystubs as evidence of that employment in 2019; and that her place of employment was closed as a direct result of the COVID-19 public health emergency. She then allegedly submitted weekly certifications stating that she was unable to reach her place of employment because of a COVID-19 quarantine. She allegedly submitted eight of those certifications in June 2021, after she was sworn in and serving as the state representative for District 113, which covers western Newton County and part of Covington, Georgia. Henderson allegedly collected $17,811 of pandemic unemployment benefits to which she was not entitled as a result of false statements in her application and weekly certifications. Henderson should appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Justin S. Anand at 1:00 p.m. today and is expected to enter a not-guilty plea. Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, Georgia Office of the State Inspector General, and DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Garrett L. Bradford is prosecuting the case. On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Drug traffickers face life in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine in Eastern District of Texas

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – A Jefferson County man and woman have been charged with drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Starr Ann Brocato, 34, of Nederland, and John Wayne Brooks, 47, of Port Neches, were named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas charging them with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. The indictment alleges that from September to November 2025, Brocato and Brooks were involved in a conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas and elsewhere. If convicted, the defendants each face up to Life in federal prison. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. This case is being investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Lee. A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Dominican National Indicted for Receiving and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Rhode Island

body_text: PROVIDENCE – A Dominican national, who resides in Providence, was indicted by a federal grand jury on December 3, 2025, for allegedly downloading child sexual abuse material (CSAM), announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom. Juan E. Acosta Gomez, 21, is charged by way of indictment for receipt and possession of child pornography. Acosta Gomez is currently detained and will appear in federal court on the indictment at a future date to be determined by the court. According to charging documents, in October 2025, the Rhode Island Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force received a report regarding disturbing CSAM images being uploaded to devices belonging to the defendant. A federal search warrant was executed at his residence on November 4, 2025. As a result of the search and through their investigation, numerous CSAM images and videos were found on Acosta Gomez’s personal devices. A federal criminal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John P. McAdams. The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Rhode Island Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc To report suspected online child sexual exploitation and/or abuse, call the Know2Project Tipline at 1-833-591-KNOW (5669) or visit the NCMEC CyberTipline® at https://report.cybertip.org/


title: Warren County woman pleads guilty to dealing fentanyl that caused fatal overdose

component: USAO - Ohio, Southern

body_text: CINCINNATI – A Franklin, Ohio, woman pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to distributing fentanyl. The plea agreement for Kaylee Back, 29, recommends a sentence of up to186 months in prison. According to court documents, in May 2023, Back provided fentanyl to an individual in Middletown. The individual was found dead approximately two and a half hours later. The Butler County coroner’s office determined the cause of death was fentanyl intoxication. Congress sets minimum and maximum statutory sentences. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing. Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, and Middletown Police Chief Earl Nelson announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Jeffery P. Hopkins. Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan A. Keefe and Frederic C. Shadley and former Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Oakley have represented the United States in this case. # # #


title: BROUSSARD MAN SENTENCED TO 115 MONTHS IN MULTI-STATE VEHICLE THEFT, FIREARM TRAFFICKING, AND IDENTITY THEFT CONSPIRACY

component: USAO - Louisiana, Middle

body_text: United States Attorney Kurt L. Wall announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Christopher Don Byerley, age 45, of Broussard, Louisiana, to 115 months in federal prison following his convictions for conspiracy to transport a stolen motor vehicle; altering, removing and obliterating a vehicle identification number; possession of fifteen or more unauthorized access devices and possession of an unregistered silencer and being a prior convicted felon in possession of a firearm. The Court further sentenced Byerley to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered restitution in the amount of $127,000 to the victims, as well as forfeiture of the pistol and silencer. According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, between October 2021 and March 2022, Byerley and his co-conspirators, Robert Gregory Brazell, Adrienne Marie King, and Dennis Loyd Sizemore, carried out a coordinated and complex operation extending across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Texas, in which the group stole, then used or sold the stolen and altered vehicles, including tractors, excavators, forklifts, and a pickup truck, with a total value of over $250,000. The conspiracy involved tampering with Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) to disguise the identity of stolen property, use of a chop shop, fraudulent documentation, and false business fronts such as “Hevyquip L.L.C.” to sell stolen equipment and unauthorized possession of over 400 identities and access devices to further conceal their criminal activities During the investigation, it was determined that Byerley, a convicted felon, used a third party to illegally purchase a firearm, which was later fitted with the unregistered silencer. In February 2022, an investigation of a shoplifting incident in the Juban Crossing Shopping Center led Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office detectives to uncover from a stolen pickup truck being operated by Byerley an unregistered firearm silencer, an FN Model 509 9mm pistol and ammunition; documentation detailing parts orders for silencers all in Byerley’s handwriting; multiple text messages and photographs pointing to intent to traffic firearms and circumvent federal regulations; and numerous documents, records, emails, text messages and photos that led law enforcement to uncover the conspiracy and far-reaching criminal enterprise. This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office, East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, Saint Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office, Saint Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office, Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office, Iberia Sheriff’s Department, and Lafayette Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lyman E. Thornton III and M. Patricia Jones. To address the firearm trafficking charges, AUSA Thornton was appointed as a Special Assistant United States Attorney in the Western District of Louisiana, where he worked in conjunction with Assistant United States Attorney John Nickel.


title: Cincinnati man pleads guilty to soliciting sex with 15-year-old

body_text: CINCINNATI – Jonathan Malachi Washington, 30, of Cincinnati, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to conspiring to sex traffic children by “paying” for sex with a minor. According to court documents, in November 2023, Washington solicited sex acts from a 15-year-old girl through a co-conspirator. Washington agreed to pay the co-conspirator $400-$500 to engage in sex acts with the victim. Washington drove the victim to his apartment in Cincinnati for commercial sex. While he and the victim were gone, the co-conspirator posted on his SnapChat that he had “Pimped out his girl.” Washington returned the victim to the co-conspirator and paid him $400-$500 in counterfeit money. Washington was charged federally in September 2024. He pleaded guilty to a bill of information that charges him with one count of conspiring to sex traffic children. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing. Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Matthew Stentz, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit, announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Matthew W. McFarland. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle J. Healey is representing the United States in this case. # # #


title: Carson Woman and Former U.S. Postal Service Employee Sentenced to More Than 5 Years in Federal Prison for Stealing Checks and Credit Cards from Mail

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A South Bay woman who formerly worked as a letter carrier for the United States Postal Service in Torrance was sentenced today to 63 months in federal prison for stealing checks and debit and credit cards from the mail then selling them to her accomplices for three years, using the illicitly obtained funds to take international trips and buy luxury goods, and then flaunting the cash on Instagram. Mary Ann Magdamit, 31, of Carson, was sentenced by United States District Judge John F. Walter, who also ordered her to pay $660,200 in restitution. Magdamit, who has been in federal custody since July 1, was a letter carrier at the Torrance Main Post Office. She pleaded guilty on August 11 to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. From at least 2022 until July 2025, Magdamit stole mail containing checks, personal identifying information (PII), and debit and credit cards. She then activated the stolen bank-issued cards online, used the cards to make purchases, and sold some stolen cards to her co-conspirators. She also arranged to have her co-conspirators cash the stolen checks, usually by people using counterfeit identity documents in the name of the check’s payee. Federally insured banks and credit unions were victimized in this scheme. Law enforcement searched Magdamit’s apartment in December 2024, and seized 133 stolen credit and debit cards,16 U.S. Department of Treasury checks, and a loaded, un-serialized Glock-clone, with an extended 27-round magazine, commonly referred to as a “ghost gun.” Agents also discovered luxury goods purchased with cards she stole from the mail. She also used stolen cards on international trips she took to Turks and Caicos and Aruba. Agents arrested Magdamit on July 1, after learning that she continued to make purchases with victims’ credit cards. A second search of Magdamit’s apartment that day yielded more stolen cards. Magdamit posted on Instagram her luxury purchases and vacations, and flaunted stacks of hundred-dollar bills. Magdamit has agreed to forfeit a Rolex watch and other luxury goods. “Individuals, businesses, and governments rely on the Postal Service to deliver over 100 million pieces of first-class mail daily,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “Especially for the poorest Americans, who are often unbanked, they rely on the mail to deliver their government benefits in the form of Treasury checks or EDD debit cards, precisely what [Magdamit] chose to steal.” The United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Treasury Inspector General of Tax Administration investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Brown of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted this case.


title: Hartford Man Charged with Narcotics Trafficking and Firearm Possession Offenses

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, today announced that REYMON ROJAS, also known as Reymond Rojas, 40, of Hartford, has been charged in a five-count indictment with narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses. As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in June 2025, the DEA received information that Rojas, who co-owns the Los Bandoleros market at 717 Albany Avenue in Hartford, was trafficking narcotics. Between July and October 2025, investigators made controlled purchases of fentanyl and cocaine from Rojas, some of which occurred at the market. Rojas was arrested on November 3, 2025. On that date, a court-authorized search of Rojas’ Park Street apartment revealed approximately 500 baggies of fentanyl, hundreds of counterfeit pills containing suspected fentanyl, a distribution quantity of cocaine, and a kilogram drug press. A search of Los Bandoleros market revealed a safe containing hundreds of grams of fentanyl powder, approximately 1,500 sleeves of fentanyl, narcotics packaging and processing materials, and a loaded .45 caliber firearm. A search of Rojas’ vehicle revealed distribution quantities of fentanyl, counterfeit pills, cocaine, and crack cocaine. It is alleged that Rojas’ criminal history includes state felony convictions for drug and robbery offenses. On November 12, 2025, a federal grand jury in Hartford returned an indictment charging Rojas with one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life; two counts of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and a quantity of cocaine, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years on each count; one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years; and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, an offense that carries a mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of at least five years. Rojas also faces enhanced penalties based on his previous conviction for a serious violent felony. Rojas has been detained since his arrest. On December 5, 2025, he appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford and pleaded not guilty to the charges. U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This investigation has been conducted by the DEA’s Hartford Task Force, which includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office, the Connecticut State Police, and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Enfield, Manchester, Middletown, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, and Windsor Locks Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone. 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 (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).


title: Boone County Man Pleads Guilty to Violating the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Richard Dale Turner, 44, of Julian, pleaded guilty today to failure to update his registration to report a change in employment and interstate travel, as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). According to court documents and statements made in court, Turner is required to register as a sex offender as a result of his conviction for third-degree sexual assault in Mason County Circuit Court on March 8, 2016. Turner failed to report a change in his employment status as required when he left a job with a trucking firm on January 3, 2025. An arrest warrant was issued for Turner when he failed to appear for a scheduled court appearance on June 23, 2025. On August 15, 2025, law enforcement officers captured Turner in Santa Rosa County, Florida. Turner failed to register as a sex offender in Florida or report his interstate travel in West Virginia. Turner is scheduled to be sentenced on March 2, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service (USMS). United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage is prosecuting the case. SORNA is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 and provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs, in part by requiring registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-168. ###


title: Mexican national, illegally living in East Texas, indicted for child exploitation violations

component: USAO - Texas, Eastern

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – A Mexican national, illegally living in Splendora, has been charged with child exploitation violations, announced Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Henry Alberto Calix-Martinez, 24, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with production and distribution of child pornography. The indictment alleges that Calix-Martinez sexually exploited a minor by producing and distributing child pornography. If convicted, Calix-Martinez faces up to 30 years in federal prison. 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. This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph R. Batte. A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Mexican national, illegally living in Liberty County, indicted for firearms violation

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

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – A Mexican national, illegally living in Dayton, has been charged with a firearms violation, announced Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Vicente Gerardo-Cruz, 47, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. The indictment alleges that on November 5, 2025, Gerardo-Cruz, an illegal alien, was found in the Eastern District of Texas in possession of a firearm. As an illegal alien, Gerardo-Cruz is prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms in the United States. If convicted, Gerardo-Cruz faces up to 15 years in federal prison. 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. This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Reynaldo P. Morin. A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Convicted Felon Sentenced to Nearly Seven Years in Prison for Second Firearm Offense

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Rockland, Mass. man was sentenced on Dec. 3, 2025 in federal court in Boston for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Lamont Boswell, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 83 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. In September 2025 , Boswell pleaded guilty to one count of unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition while being a convicted felon as well as violating the terms of his supervised release. On April 2, 2025, while conducting a wellness check on Boswell who appeared to be passed out in the driver’s seat of his parked car, law enforcement found a pistol inside the vehicle. The recovered firearm was a Smith and Wesson semi-automatic handgun, loaded with 13 9mm rounds of ammunition in the magazine and one 9mm round in the chamber. At the time of the offense, Boswell was under federal supervision after being convicted in 2021 of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, for which he was sentenced to 57 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In that case, Boswell was also found to have illegally possessed a loaded firearms while driving his car. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Special assistance was provided by Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office and the Scituate Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred M. Wyshak III of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations 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 .


title: Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Tens of Thousands of Fentanyl Pills

body_text: BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Dorchester pleaded guilty on Friday in federal court in Boston to his role in a large-scale fentanyl trafficking conspiracy. Anderson Ernesto Andujar Echavarria, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; three counts of distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl; one count of distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl and methamphetamine; and one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for April 6, 2026. The defendant was arrested and charged in September 2024 along with three co-conspirators: Waner Bernabel Presinal; Carlos Fabal; and Freddy Artemio Guerrero Soto. In November 2023, law enforcement identified Andujar as a large-scale drug trafficker distributing various narcotics. Over the course of the investigation, Andujar distributed tens of thousands of press fentanyl tablets as well as powdered fentanyl, cocaine and crystal methamphetamine to undercover law enforcement. Bernabel was identified as a co-conspirator who worked with Andujar to distribute fentanyl pills and Fabal was identified as a fentanyl pill supplier to Andujar. Fabal was previously convicted in 2007 in federal court in Boston of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, for which he was sentenced to 67 months in prison and five years of supervised release. At the time of the arrests, 30,000 blue pressed fentanyl pills were seized along with and 500 grams of powder fentanyl from Andujar and Guerrero Soto. All three of Andujar’s co-defendants have pleaded guilty. Fabal and Bernabel each pleaded guilty in September 2025 and October 2025, respectively, and are scheduled to be sentenced in March 2026. Guerrero Soto pleaded guilty in February 2025 and, in May 2025, was sentenced to 30 months in prison. The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charges of distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl and distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl and methamphetamine each provide for a sentence of at least five years up to 40 years in prison, at least four years and up to a lifetime of supervised and a fine of up to $5 million. The charge of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 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. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England made the announcement. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Pohl of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.


title: Department of Justice Leadership Announces New Personnel Appointments and Authorizations in the District of New Jersey

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Today, following Attorney General Pamela Bondi's announcement that Alina Habba will serve as Senior Advisor to the Attorney General for United States Attorneys, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the following personnel appointments and authorizations within the District of New Jersey: Philip Lamparello will serve as Senior Counsel and is authorized to supervise or conduct the work of the district’s Criminal Division and Special Prosecutions Division, including such work in the district’s branch offices; Jordan Fox will serve as Special Attorney and is authorized to supervise or conduct the work of the district’s Civil Division and Appellate Division, including such work in the district’s branch offices, along with any other matters arising within the district not specifically delegated herein; and Ari Fontecchio will serve as Executive Assistant United States Attorney and is authorized to supervise or conduct the work of the district’s Administrative Division, along with any other administrative matters arising within the district. "The Department of Justice is committed to bringing in the best and brightest to carry out our mission," said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. "I have full confidence in each of these exceptional attorneys and look forward to our continued collaboration as we make New Jersey and America safe again."


title: Charleston Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Weapons and Drugs Charges

body_text: CHARLESTON, S.C. — Jaidan Latrell Alexander, 26, of Ladson, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. Evidence presented in court showed that Alexander obtained multiple firearms through a straw purchasing scheme involving a family member, despite being prohibited from possessing firearms because of his prior criminal convictions. Investigators also recovered social media evidence showing that Alexander was actively involved in narcotics distribution, and he was arrested several times while armed. According to court records, on April 13, 2023, Alexander exchanged gunfire outside his Ladson apartment during an attempted robbery. A later search of the apartment uncovered firearms, illegal drugs, and equipment used to package and distribute narcotics. On Aug. 30, 2024, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives arrested Alexander at his residence and executed a search warrant. Inside, they found additional firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, drug-distribution tools including scales, vacuum sealers, and packaging materials, and more than 2.5 pounds of marijuana. United States District Judge Bruce H. Hendricks sentenced Alexander to 10 years imprisonment to be followed by five years of court ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Lietzow is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Liberty County felon indicted for firearms possession

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas – A Liberty County convicted felon has been charged with a firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Jason Reeves, 51, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. The indictment alleges that on November 21, 2025, Reeves, a convicted felon, was found in the Eastern District of Texas in possession of a firearm. As a convicted felon, Reeves is prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms. If convicted, Reeves faces up to 15 years in federal prison. 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. This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and Liberty County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Reynaldo P. Morin. A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Fresno Man Sentenced to 7.5 Years in Prison for $30-plus Million Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: Matthew Dane Billingsley, 40, of Fresno, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to seven years and six months in prison for wire fraud in a scheme that defrauded individual lenders and financial institutions out of more than $30 million, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. “The defendant defrauded victims out of millions of dollars. Over nearly five years, he repeatedly and deliberately committed crimes by altering documents, forging signatures, and otherwise lying,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “This office, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively pursue those who defraud victims and threaten our financial system through deceit.” “Matthew Billingsley orchestrated a deliberate campaign of fraud, stealing more than $30 million through falsified documents,” said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. “The FBI, in partnership with IRS Criminal Investigation, put an end to his pattern of manipulation and exploitation. We will relentlessly pursue those who victimize others through dishonesty and greed.” “Today’s sentencing sends a clear message: those who engage in deception to defraud lenders and abuse the financial system will be held accountable,” said IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS‑CI) Oakland Field Office Special Agent in Charge Linda Nguyen. “By fabricating brokerage statements and misusing loan funds, Mr. Billingsley not only betrayed the trust of financial institutions and individual lenders but also undermined the integrity of our financial markets. IRS-CI uses fundamental accounting principles mixed with advanced technology to build investigations that extinguish such financial deceit.” According to court documents, between June 2018 and February 2023, Billingsley made false representations about having a brokerage account with millions of dollars in assets to serve as collateral for loans. Billingsley gave fabricated brokerage account statements to obtain more than $30 million in loans from individual lenders and financial institutions. The brokerage account statements were false because the brokerage account did not exist. Billingsley also misrepresented to individual lenders and financial institutions the intended use of the loan funds and, instead, used the money to pay down previous loans and for his personal benefit. To obtain one of the loans, Billingsley used a Fresno restaurant owner’s name and signature on a profit-sharing agreement that Billingsley created and forged. Billingsley presented the false and fraudulent profit-sharing agreement to a financial institution to obtain a loan. This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany M. Gunter prosecuted the case.


component: USAO - Delaware

body_text: Persico USA Agrees to Pay $1.46 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Paycheck Protection Program Loans Wilmington, Delaware – First Assistant U.S. Attorney Julianne E. Murray announced today that Persico USA, Inc. (“Persico”) agreed to pay more than $1.4 million to resolve allegations that it improperly obtained a Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) for which it was not eligible. PPP was an emergency loan program established by Congress in March 2020 under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act and administered by the SBA. It was created to support small businesses and ensure that they could continue to pay employees and meet other business expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether an applicant qualified as a small business was determined, in part, by assessing the number of employees of the business, including any domestic and foreign affiliates. In early 2021, Congress authorized a second tranche of loans, known as second draw loans, that were available to certain small businesses that had already obtained a first draw loan. Persico is a subsidiary of a multinational entity that manufactures and sells equipment for the automotive, rotomoulding, marine, and medical industries. The United States contends that Persico obtained a PPP loan that it was not eligible for because it exceeded the size requirements for a second draw PPP loan. Specifically, Persico was ineligible for the PPP loan because it, together with its foreign affiliates, had over 300 employees. “PPP was designed keep small businesses afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Murray. “Multinational companies that obtained loans for which they did not qualify deprived small businesses of funding intended to keep American workers employed. Our office will continue to investigate and aggressively pursue any instances of fraud or misconduct within the Paycheck Protection Program.” The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under those provisions, a private party—known as a relator—can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Verity Investigations, LLC v. Persico USA, Inc. , 25-cv-260-CFC (D. Del.). The relator will receive a share of the settlement. This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney William E. LaRosa. Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability. executed_persico_agreement_0.pdf


title: Central Valley Corporate Insider Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Role in Stealing Nearly $5 Million in Livestock Feed Ingredients

body_text: Shawn Sawa, 49, formerly of Clovis, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 18 months in prison for his role in a fraud scheme that stole millions of dollars’ worth of canola, used to make livestock feed, from international food processors, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to court documents, from 2015 through 2017, Sawa and co-defendant Richard Best stole $4.8 million worth of canola from international food processors. They then sold the canola for a windfall. Sawa and Best carried out the scheme through Best’s now defunct train-to-truck transloading company, Richard Best Transfer Inc. (RBT). A transloading company transfers commodities from one mode of transportation to another mode. The victim food processors sent hundreds of thousands of tons of their canola to RBT for delivery to their customers. Sawa was the Fresno area manager for one of the victim food processors from whom he and Best stole canola. Sawa initially received kickback payments from Best to try to increase the supply of canola that RBT received from that food processor before they began their scheme. Sawa and Best sold the stolen canola through an acquaintance in Texas who used to work in the livestock-feed industry. The acquaintance sold the stolen canola to farms and dairies and distributed the proceeds according to Best’s instructions. This included wire transfers to Sawa, Best, and RBT’s bank accounts. The account that Sawa used was opened in his spouse’s name to try to conceal the scheme. Throughout the scheme, Sawa and Best caused RBT to email fraudulent inventory reports to the victim food processors representing that RBT had certain amounts of their canola in-stock when, in fact, RBT had significantly lesser amounts. Sawa and Best used the proceeds from the scheme to purchase luxury homes and multiple vehicles, take trips, hire private karate teachers, and cover RBT’s operating expenses, among other expenses. Shortly before the scheme was discovered, Best gave Sawa an old cellphone that had belonged to Best’s deceased mother. Best did so because he was afraid that the victim food processor for whom Sawa worked was onto their scheme and was monitoring communications on Sawa’s company issued devices. They then used the old cellphone to secretly communicate with each other in furtherance of the scheme. This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cody Chapple, Chan Hee Chu, and Joseph Barton are prosecuting the case. Best pleaded guilty on Oct. 14, 2025, three weeks before his trial was supposed to start and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 2, 2026. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.


title: Serial Denver Bank Robber Sentenced to 210 Months

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Flozell Beasley, 73, of Denver, was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release after being convicted by a jury of four counts of bank robbery and one count of robbery affecting interstate commerce. According to the facts established at trial, Beasley robbed two banks, two credit unions, and a taco shop in Denver, between May and July 2023. In each robbery, the defendant dressed like a construction worker and threatened employees with a high-quality replica gun before taking their money and fleeing. On July 11, 2023, the defendant robbed the Vectra Bank at 1001 E 17th Street and left with a GPS tracker hidden inside the money he stole from the bank. He then boarded a nearby RTD bus and was arrested twelve minutes later sitting on the bus with the tracker, stolen money, replica gun, construction vest, and construction helmet in a bag at his feet. “If you’re thinking of robbing a bank in Colorado, do yourself a favor and find something else to do,” said United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly. “We will catch you; we will prosecute you; and you will spend a long time in federal prison.” “This man is a serial bank robber and a lifelong criminal. He has proven that the only way to keep the community safe is to keep him behind bars,” said Marv Massey, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Denver FBI Field Office. “The FBI Denver Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force and our partners at the Denver Police Department and the Regional Transportation District will continue to work together to target the serial offenders creating fear and havoc in Denver.” United States District Judge Regina M. Rodriguez presided over the sentencing. The FBI Denver Field Office handled the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Brian Dunn and Garreth Winstead handled the prosecution. 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. Case Number: 23-cr-342-RMR


title: U.S. authorities shut down major China-linked AI tech smuggling network

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: HOUSTON – Two businessmen are now in custody for allegedly violating U.S. export control laws, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. As part of the overall investigation, a Houston company and its owner have also pleaded guilty to smuggling cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence technology out of the United States. “Operation Gatekeeper has exposed a sophisticated smuggling network that threatens our Nation’s security by funneling cutting-edge AI technology to those who would use it against American interests,” said Ganjei. “These chips are the building blocks of AI superiority and are integral to modern military applications. The country that controls these chips will control AI technology; the country that controls AI technology will control the future. The Southern District of Texas will aggressively prosecute anyone who attempts to compromise America’s technological edge.” “The United States has long emphasized the importance of innovation and is responsible for an incredible amount of cutting-edge technology, such as the advanced computer chips that make modern AI possible,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “This advantage isn’t free but rather the result of our engineers’ and scientists’ hard work and sacrifice. The National Security Division, along with our partners, will vigorously enforce our export-control laws and protect this edge.” Alan Hao Hsu aka Haochun Hsu, 43, Missouri City, and his company, Hao Global LLC, both pleaded guilty to smuggling and unlawful export activities Oct. 10. According to now unsealed court documents, between October 2024 and May 2025, Hsu and others knowingly exported and attempted to export at least $160 million worth of export-controlled Nvidia H100 and H200 Tensor Core graphic processing units (GPUs). The H100 and H200 are high-speed GPUs used for AI applications and high-performance computing. They are designed to process massive amounts of data, advancing generative AI and large language models, and accelerating scientific computing. The GPUs are used for both civilian and military applications. These chips are among the most advanced GPUs ever developed, and their export to the People’s Republic of China is strictly prohibited. Hsu and others allegedly falsified shipping paperwork, misclassifying the true nature of the goods and their recipients to conceal the ultimate destination of the GPUs. The charges allege Hsu and Hao Global received more than $50 million in wire transfers that originated from the People’s Republic of China to help fund the scheme. The GPUs were ultimately shipped to the PRC, Hong Kong and other destinations in violation of U.S. export laws, according to the indictment. Also charged in relation to the scheme are two PRC natives - Fanyue Gong aka Tom Gong, 43, a PRC citizen who resides in Brooklyn, New York, and Benlin Yuan, 58, a Canadian citizen who resides in Mississauga, Ontario. Law enforcement arrested Gong in New York Dec. 3, and Yuan in Sterling, Virgina, Nov. 28. Yuan is the CEO of a Sterling, Virginia, IT services company which is the U.S. subsidiary of a large PRC IT company based in Beijing, while Gong is the owner of a New York technology company. According to their charges, Gong and Yuan also independently conspired with employees of a Hong Kong-based logistics company and a China-based AI technology company to circumvent U.S. export controls. The criminal complaint against Gong alleges co-conspirators obtained Nvidia GPUs through straw purchasers and intermediaries, falsely indicating that the goods were for U.S. customers or customers in third countries that do not require a license to export. The GPUs were shipped to multiple U.S. warehouses where individuals who worked for Gong removed Nvidia labels and re-labelled the GPUs with the name “SANDKYAN” – a fake company – and then prepared the goods for export at his direction, according to the charges. The shipping and export paperwork for the GPUs allegedly misclassified the goods as generic computer parts. The charges allege co-conspirators then shipped the goods or attempted to do so to the PRC and Hong Kong in violation of U.S. laws. According to Yuan’s charges, he helped recruit and organize individuals to inspect the mislabeled GPUs on behalf of the Hong Kong logistics company. Yuan allegedly agreed to direct inspectors not to say the goods were destined for the PRC. The charges also allege Yuan directed discussions regarding crafting a story his company could use to get GPUs and other equipment released after federal law authorities detained it. Yuan allegedly engaged in several conversations about providing false information to U.S. authorities regarding the ultimate customer of the goods. Yuan is also alleged to have participated in and agreed to direct actions involving the handling and storage of another export of Nvidia GPUs on behalf of the Hong Kong logistics company. Hsu faces up to 10 years in federal prison at sentencing Feb. 18, while Hao Global LLC could be fined up to twice the gross gain from the offense and given a term of probation. If convicted, Yuan faces up to 20 years for conspiracy to violate the Export Control Reform Act. Gong is charged with conspiracy to smuggle goods from the United States and faces a maximum of 10 years. Hsu was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing. Yuan and Gong are currently in custody pending further criminal proceedings. The Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security - Office of Export Enforcement (Dallas Field Office), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations – Dallas and FBI Field Offices in New York City and Washington D.C. conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Marck and Mark McIntyre are prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorneys Fatema Merchant and Yifei Zheng of DOJ’s National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Man Charged With Transporting Minor Across State Lines To Engage In Sexual Activity And Related Offenses

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: ASHEVILLE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson announced today that a federal grand jury in Asheville has returned a criminal indictment charging Ricky Dean Clinton, 40, with transporting a minor across state lines to engage in sexual activity and related offenses. This is Clinton’s second federal indictment in the Western District of North Carolina, both of which are currently pending resolution. According to allegations in the indictment, between March and June 2025, Clinton knowingly transported a minor victim across state lines with the intent that the minor engage in sexual activity with him. The indictment further alleges that Clinton also crossed state lines for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct. According to court documents, Clinton was indicted in October 2025 for attempting to kill law enforcement officers, specifically United States Marshals Service deputies, United States Marshals Service task force officers, and deputies with the Burke County Sheriff’s Office. The charges stem from an incident on August 12, 2025, where Clinton allegedly shot at law enforcement while they were attempting to arrest the defendant on outstanding state warrants. Clinton also faces additional charges for firearms offenses in connection with this incident, including unlawful use and carry of a firearm in furtherance of crimes of violence, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Those charges are still pending. Clinton is in federal custody. If convicted, he faces up to a maximum sentence of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine Clinton’s ultimate sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. In making the announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the U.S. Marshal’s Service, the U.S. Marshal Service Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and the Burke County Sheriff’s Office for the investigation that led to Clinton’s initial indictment, and the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office for their investigative efforts that resulted in the newest indictment against the defendant. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis Solheim with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville is prosecuting both cases. The charges against the defendant are merely allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc .


title: U.S. Authorities Shut Down Major China-Linked AI Tech Smuggling Network

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Two businessmen are now in custody for allegedly violating U.S. export control and smuggling laws. As part of the overall investigation, a Houston company and its owner also pleaded guilty to smuggling cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology out of the United States, and the United States has seized over $50 million in Nvidia technologies and cash. “The United States has long emphasized the importance of innovation and is responsible for an incredible amount of cutting-edge technology, such as the advanced computer chips that make modern AI possible,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “This advantage isn’t free but rather the result of our engineers’ and scientists’ hard work and sacrifice. The National Security Division, along with our partners, will vigorously enforce our export-control laws and protect this edge.” “Operation Gatekeeper has exposed a sophisticated smuggling network that threatens our Nation’s security by funneling cutting-edge AI technology to those who would use it against American interests,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas. “These chips are the building blocks of AI superiority and are integral to modern military applications. The country that controls these chips will control AI technology; the country that controls AI technology will control the future. The Southern District of Texas will aggressively prosecute anyone who attempts to compromise America’s technological edge.” “Gong and his accomplices allegedly led a complex scheme to smuggle high-performance graphic processing units to China in violation of U.S. export laws,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “This case highlights the importance of interagency cooperation to protect U.S. technology; the FBI, alongside our partners, will continue to aggressively investigate these violations and bring those responsible to justice. We ask our private sector partners to remain vigilant to this increasing threat as our adversaries try to match U.S. artificial intelligence breakthroughs.” According to court documents, Alan Hao Hsu, also known as Haochun Hsu, 43, of Missouri City, Texas, and his company, Hao Global LLC, both pleaded guilty to smuggling and unlawful export activities on Oct. 10, 2025. According to now unsealed court documents, between October 2024 and May 2025, Hsu and others knowingly exported and attempted to export at least $160 million worth of export-controlled Nvidia H100 and H200 Tensor Core graphic processing units (GPUs). The H100 and H200 are high-speed GPUs used for AI applications and high-performance computing. They are designed to process massive amounts of data, advancing generative AI and large language models and accelerating scientific computing. These GPUs are used for both civilian and military applications. Hsu and others falsified shipping paperwork, misclassifying the true nature of the goods and their recipients to conceal the ultimate destination of the GPUs. Hsu and Hao Global received more than $50 million in wire transfers that originated from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to help fund the scheme. The GPUs were ultimately shipped to the PRC, Hong Kong and other destinations in violation of U.S. export laws. At sentencing, Hsu faces up to 10 years in prison on Feb. 18, and Hao Global LLC faces a maximum penalty of twice the gross gain from the offense and a term of probation. Also charged in relation to the scheme are two PRC natives. Benlin Yuan, 58, the chief executive officer of a Sterling, Virginia, IT services company, which is the U.S. subsidiary of a large PRC IT company based in Beijing, was arrested in Sterling, Virginia, on Nov. 28 and charged with conspiring to violation the Export Control Reform Act (ECRA) of 2018. Yuan is a Canadian citizen who resides in Mississauga, Ontario. Fanyue Gong, also known as Tom Gong, 43, a PRC citizen who resides in Brooklyn, New York, is the owner of a New York technology company and was arrested in New York on Dec. 3. Gong was charged with conspiring to smuggle goods out of the United States. According to charging documents, Gong and Yuan also independently conspired with employees of a Hong Kong-based logistics company and a China-based AI technology company to circumvent U.S. export controls. The criminal complaint against Gong alleges that co-conspirators obtained Nvidia GPUs through straw purchasers and intermediaries, falsely indicating that the goods were for U.S. customers or customers in third countries that do not require a license to export. The GPUs were shipped to multiple U.S. warehouses where individuals who worked for Gong removed Nvidia labels and re-labeled the GPUs with the name “SANDKYAN” – a fake company – and then prepared the goods for export at his direction. The shipping and export paperwork for the GPUs allegedly misclassified the goods as generic computer parts. The charges allege co-conspirators then shipped the goods or attempted to do so to the PRC and Hong Kong in violation of U.S. laws. According to the complaint, Yuan helped recruit and organize individuals to inspect the mislabeled GPUs on behalf of the Hong Kong logistics company. Yuan allegedly agreed to direct inspectors not to say the goods were destined for the PRC. The government also alleges Yuan directed discussions regarding crafting a story his company could use to get GPUs and other equipment released after federal law authorities detained it. Yuan allegedly engaged in several conversations about providing false information to U.S. authorities regarding the ultimate customer of the goods. As alleged, Yuan also participated in and agreed to direct actions involving the handling and storage of another export of Nvidia GPUs on behalf of the Hong Kong logistics company. If convicted, Yuan faces up to 20 years in prison for conspiring to violate ECRA and up to a $1 million fine. If convicted, Gong faces up to 10 years in prison for conspiring to smuggle goods out of the United States. Hsu was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing. Yuan and Gong are currently in custody pending further criminal proceedings. The Commerce Department’s BIS Office of Export Enforcement Dallas Field Office, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Dallas, and FBI New York and Washington Field Offices are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Marck and Mark McIntyre for the Southern District of Texas and Trial Attorney Fatema Merchant of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance provided by Trial Attorney Yifei Zheng, also from the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Guilty Plea and Superseding Indictment Announced in Social Engineering Scheme that Stole $263 Million in Cryptocurrency

body_text: WASHINGTON – Evan Tangeman, 22, of Newport Beach, California, pleaded guilty today in connection with his role in a multi-state conspiracy that used social engineering to steal hundreds of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency from victims throughout the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. Tangeman is the ninth defendant to enter a guilty plea in this investigation. Tangeman pleaded to participating in a RICO conspiracy before U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly and admitted that he helped to launder at least $3.5 million for members of the enterprise. Judge Kollar-Kotelly scheduled sentencing for April 24, 2026. The Court also unsealed the Second Superseding Indictment, which charges three additional defendants with their roles in the Social Engineering Enterprise (SE Enterprise). Nicholas Dellecave, also known as “Nic,” and “Souja,” Mustafa Ibrahim, also known as “Krust,” and Danish Zulfiqar, also known as “Danny,” and “Meech,” were all charged with RICO conspiracy along with the remaining defendants. Dellecave was arrested in Miami on Dec.3, 2025. Zulfiqar and Ibrahim recently were arrested in Dubai on related charges. According to the Second Superseding Indictment, the enterprise began no later than October 2023 and continued through at least May 2025. It grew from friendships developed on online gaming platforms and was comprised of individuals based in California, Connecticut, New York, Florida, and abroad. Tangeman was a money launderer for the group that also included database hackers, organizers, target identifiers, callers, and residential burglars targeting hardware virtual currency wallets. According to court documents, members of the enterprise used stolen databases to target victims for cryptocurrency thefts. They then used the stolen virtual currency to purchase, among other things, nightclub services ranging up to $500,000 per evening, luxury handbags valued in the tens of thousands of dollars that were given away at nightclub parties, luxury watches valued between $100,000 and $500,000, luxury clothing valued in the tens of thousands of dollars, rental homes in Los Angeles, the Hamptons, and Miami, private jet rentals, a team of private security guards, and a fleet of at least 28 exotic cars ranging in value from $100,000 to $3.8 million. The Second Superseding Indictment alleges that on Aug. 18, 2024, Tangeman’s co-conspirator Malone Lam, Danish Zulfiqar, and others contacted a victim in the District of Columbia and, through communications with that victim, fraudulently obtained over 4,100 Bitcoin – valued then at $263 million, and valued this week at more than $368 million. Tangeman first met the members of the in late 2023 when Lam and others moved to Los Angeles and needed assistance finding rental homes and paying for them with stolen cryptocurrency. Tangeman used a bulk-cash convertor to exchange stolen cryptocurrency for fiat cash to obtain rental homes, some renting for between $40,000 - $80,000 per month. Tangeman also caused false names to be listed on the leases to conceal the ownership of the homes. Tangeman rented homes for the group in Miami as well. During one exchange in August 2024, after the theft from the DC victim, Tangeman helped Lam obtain approximately $3 million in fiat cash in exchange for stolen cryptocurrency for a rental home. Following Lam’s Miami arrest on Sept. 18, 2024, Tangeman accessed the home security systems to take screenshots of FBI agents searching the residences. Tangeman also asked another enterprise member to travel to Lam’s Los Angeles home, retrieve digital devices, and destroy them. This case is being investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and the IRS-Criminal Investigation Washington D.C. Field Office. Significant investigative and operational support was provided by the FBI’s Los Angeles and Miami field offices as well as the United States Attorney’s Officers in the Central District of California, Southern District of Florida, and the District of New Jersey. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Rosenberg, Co-Chief of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. 24cr417


title: Repeat Offender Sentenced to Over 21 Years in Federal Prison for Meth Trafficking with a Firearm

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio woman was sentenced in federal court today to 260 months in prison for one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, Veronica Mejia Menjares aka Vero, 40, sold methamphetamine to an individual three times between March 6 and April 4, 2023. She also sold heroin on two occasions in that period. It was during the April 4 exchange that the Drug Enforcement Administration arrested Menjares. A search of her backpack revealed 62.1 grams of heroin, 392.48 grams of crystal methamphetamine, approximately 23.02 grams of marijuana, a digital scale, and one 9mm handgun loaded with a magazine containing 14 rounds. A federal search warrant on Menjares’s residence resulted in the discovery of four assault rifles, three additional 9mm handguns, and six rifle magazines, one of which contained 18 .556 rounds. Menjares was indicted for three counts on May 3, 2023. She pleaded guilty on Aug. 6, 2025. U.S. District Judge David Ezra sentenced Menjares to 200 months in prison for the methamphetamine charge, running consecutive to five years in prison for the firearm offense. Menjares’s criminal record includes three prior convictions for possession of a controlled substance, two convictions for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and two convictions for unlawfully carrying a handgun. U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. The DEA investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Spears prosecuted the case. ###


title: Justice Department Sues Loudoun County for Violating Equal Protection of Christian Students

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: Read the motion to intervene and the supporting memorandum The Justice Department announced today that it filed legal action against the Loudoun County (Va.) School Board (Loudoun County) for its denial of equal protection based on religion. The suit alleges that Loudoun County applied Policy 8040, which requires students and faculty to accept and promote gender ideology, to two Christian, male students in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. “Students do not shed their First Amendment rights at the schoolhouse gate,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Loudoun County’s decision to advance and promote gender ideology tramples on the rights of religious students who cannot embrace ideas that deny biological reality.” Policy 8040 requires all students, regardless of their religious beliefs, to adopt the Loudoun County School Board’s understanding of “gender identity” — including its practical application that affects all students’ use of intimate spaces, such as bathrooms and changing facilities. At Stone Bridge High School, a female student took advantage of this policy, entered the boys’ locker room, and recorded audio and video of the boys in that locker room. Several boys spoke out about this incident, including two Christian, male students whose religious beliefs require them to use biologically accurate pronouns and use sex-segregated facilities. Loudoun County determined that these Christian, male students’ religious practice violated school policy, recasting constitutionally protected activity as “sex-based discrimination” and “sexual harassment.” As punishment, Loudoun County suspended the boys for ten days and ordered them to submit to a “Comprehensive Student Support Plan” that further violates the boys’ right to free exercise of religion at school. The Department’s motion to intervene in S.W. et al. v. Loudoun County School Board is pending before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.


component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: Woman Pleads Guilty to Embezzling Funds from White Mountain Trail Collective CONCORD – The former executive director of the White Mountain Trail Collective has pleaded guilty to embezzlement of funds from the organization, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. Melanie Luce, 48, pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement from an organization receiving federal funds. According to the charging documents and statements made in court, Luce served as the Executive Director of the White Mountain Trail Collective from 2019 through 2021. The Collective was a non-profit organization that was funded in part by contributions from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service to aid in the objective of supporting the trails systems in the White Mountains. Luce embezzled funds through various means including by making unauthorized bank transfers to herself in excess of her approved salary, obtaining and utilizing an unauthorized corporate credit card to transfer funds to a web services company she owned and for personal expenses, and obtaining a loan via a forged corporate resolution. All told, Ms. Luce embezzled some $91,000 directly from the Trail Collective and caused additional losses of approximately $58,000 to bank that issued the credit card and $44,000 to the lender who provided the loan. As part of her resolution, Luce has agreed to pay restitution to those victims. The charges carry a maximum possible sentence of 10 years imprisonment. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. The Court scheduled sentencing in this matter for March 23, 2026. The investigation was led by the United States Departure of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau is prosecuting the case.


title: Illegal Alien Sentenced to for Illegal Re-entry after Deportation

component: USAO - Alabama, Northern

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A native of Mexico has been sentenced for illegally re-entering the U.S. after deportation, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona. United States District Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced Eberardo Yovany Peralta-Cazales, 34, a citizen of Mexico, to 18 months in prison. Peralta-Cazales pleaded guilty to illegal re-entry after deportation. According to the court documents, Peralta-Cazales was originally removed from the United States on November 11, 2015. On September 21, 2023, Peralta-Cazales was found in the United States and removed again on September 29, 2023. Less than a year after his second removal, Peralta-Cazales was arrested in Dekalb County, Alabama, for five counts of Rape Second Degree and four counts of Sodomy Second Degree, all involving a 12-year-old girl. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement Deportation Removal Office (ICE/ERO) was notified of the arrest and Peralta-Cazales was later transferred into federal custody. Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case along with the Dekalb County Sherrif’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara M. Judah prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Dorchester Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm Offense

body_text: BOSTON – A Dorchester man has pleaded guilty to unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Rickey Simmons, 46, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Court Senior Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for March 6, 2026. Simmons was charged in January 2025 and later indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2025 . On Jan. 28, 2025, Simmons possessed a Tisas, Model Zig M1911, .45 caliber firearm, eight rounds of .45 caliber ammunition and nine rounds of .22 caliber ammunition, after having been convicted of a felony. The charge of being a felon in possession provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement today. Assistant United States Attorneys Mark Grady and Allegra Flamm of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.


title: Gang Members Indicted for Interstate Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

body_text: BOSTON – Two previously convicted gang members have been indicted by a federal grand jury on drug and firearm charges. At the time of the alleged offenses, the defendants were on federal supervised release and state probation for prior drug and firearm offenses, respectively. Stanley Earl Jenkins, a/k/a “Poolside Stixx,” 42, of Boston and Xavier Puello, a/k/a “Bodega,” 22, of Lawrence, were indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base and 40 grams or more of fentanyl; and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The defendants are currently in state custody and appeared in federal court in Boston today. According to court documents, Jenkins is a member of the Franklin Hill street gang. At the time of his arrest, Jenkins was on supervised release for a prior federal drug conspiracy conviction. Additionally, in 2013, Jenkins was convicted of two counts of Manslaughter in Suffolk County Superior Court in connection with the shooting deaths of two victims in the Franklin Hill Projects in July 2007. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Puello is alleged in court documents to be a member of the Trinitarios transnational criminal organization, reporting to the Lawrence chapter. At the time of his arrest, Puello was on probation in Lawrence District Court following a two-year jail sentence for unlawfully carrying a loaded firearm and discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building. According to the charging documents, during a search of a residence in Abbot, Maine in May 2025, Jenkins and Puello were located in a downstairs bedroom with a large amount of cash. Puello also allegedly had a paper with notations identified as a “menu” of prices for different amounts of crack cocaine and fentanyl. It is further alleged that two loaded firearms – a Ruger 9mm pistol and an Anderson Arms 5.56 caliber rifle with a 60-round magazine – as well as a digital scale and numerous tied-off baggies containing cocaine, crack cocaine and ketamine were located above a ceiling tile. Jenkins and Puello were immediately taken into custody. It is alleged that cell phones seized during the search were found to contain numerous text messages in which Jenkins and Puello discussed drug dealing and arranged sales of fentanyl and cocaine to customers. Phone records indicated that Jenkins was allegedly directing the drug conspiracy from Massachusetts at times when he was away from the Abbot residence. The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base and 40 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to life in prison, consecutive to the term of imprisonment for the drug trafficking crime, supervised release for up to life and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England, made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Piscataquis County (Maine) Sheriff’s Office, Greenville (Maine) Police Department, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, Office of the Maine Attorney General and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Cutshall and Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit are prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Galveston County man sentenced to federal prison for trafficking cocaine through the Eastern District of Texas

body_text: BEAUMONT, Texas –A Dickinson man has been sentenced to federal prison for trafficking cocaine in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Anthony Wayne Brown, 37, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and was sentenced to 162 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on December 8, 2025. According to information presented in court, in November 2022, Brown was the driver of a vehicle stopped for a traffic violation in Liberty County. After noticing the odor of marijuana inside the vehicle, and receiving conflicting stories from Brown and his passenger , law enforcement conducted a search of the vehicle which resulted in the discovery of marijuana, air fresheners, and bundles containing nine kilograms of powder cocaine. 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. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove. ###