title: Four Charged with Trafficking More Than $45 Million Worth of Cocaine through Sophisticated Cross-Border Tunnel; Discovery Made in Monthslong Homeland Security Task Force Investigation

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: SAN DIEGO – A Homeland Security Task Force federal drug investigation of a supposed retail store in Otay Mesa has resulted in the discovery of a sophisticated cross-border tunnel and charges against four people for conspiring to distribute more than a ton of cocaine estimated to be worth $45 million. The subterranean passageway, stretching from Tijuana, Mexico to the purported retail store near the Otay Mesa Port of Entry known as “Buy 4 Less,” is estimated to be about 1,933 feet long, 55 feet deep and 4.5-feet in height, with reinforced walls, rail and ventilation systems and electricity. The defendants include Gregorio Epifanio Hernandez Lopez of San Diego; Brandon Escalante Sandoval of Mexico; Jose Jimenez of San Diego; and Antonio Cortez of Mexico. Hernandez Lopez is charged with Conspiracy to Use a Cross-Border Tunnel and Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances; all are charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances. According to a federal complaint, investigators from Homeland Security Investigations Tunnel Task Force maintained regular surveillance on the Buy 4 Less warehouse from December 2025 to May 2026 due to suspicious activity there. In December 2025, a new group of around seven or eight “employees” were seen regularly, in and around Buy 4 Less. These individuals included defendant Hernandez, whom agents observed at Buy 4 Less beginning in at least January 2026. During the surveillance, the activity around the Buy 4 Less location did not appear to be consistent with a normal retail location. For example, investigators observed minimal foot traffic from customers coming in and out of the Buy 4 Less store. Hernandez and the other supposed “employees” that regularly frequented the store engaged in unusual activity such as transporting large numbers of suitcases out of the store and into vehicles or walking the suitcases across the border into Mexico. Based on how Hernandez and the others handled the suitcases, they appeared to be empty so law enforcement did not intervene. According to the complaint, on May 29, 2026, while conducting surveillance on Buy 4 Less, agents observed a male loading three large, heavy items into a white van which departed Buy 4 Less and ultimately parked on the street near a mechanic shop located at 923½ Coolidge Ave. A male on a bicycle, later identified as defendant Brandon Escalante, was seen conducting counter surveillance in the area by riding his bicycle while looking around and into parked cars. Escalante later approached the van, removed the vehicle key that had been concealed in the gas cap area, got into the van and reversed it into 923½ Coolidge Avenue. Agents observed that the van was backed up to another white van with the rear doors from both vans open. A white stake bed truck then entered 923½ Coolidge Avenue. Agents watched people remove three deep freezers from the first van and place them onto the bed of the truck, then load the deep freezers with packages. After the packages were loaded into the deep freezers, the truck exited 923½ Coolidge Avenue and parked a short distance away. Escalante was seen exiting the truck, grabbing his bicycle from the truck bed, placing the keys underneath the truck on the passenger side, and departing the area. Agents then observed another male, later identified as Defendant Jimenez, grab the vehicle keys and drive away in the truck. San Diego County Sheriff’s deputies subsequently conducted a traffic stop of the truck, with lights flashing, and a K9 police dog alerted to the presence of controlled substances. Shortly after the traffic stop of the truck, agents watching Buy 4 Less observed two unidentified males take heavy boxes out of Buy 4 Less and load them into a second truck. Hernandez entered the second truck and drove away. San Diego County Sheriff’s deputies conducted a traffic stop of that second truck a short distance away from the Buy 4 Less, and a K9 police dog alerted to the presence of controlled substances. San Diego Sheriff's deputies also stopped the second van, driven by a male later identified as Antonio Cortez, at 923½ Coolidge Avenue. Sheriff’s deputies again received a positive K9 alert for the presence of controlled substances in the vehicle. According to the complaint, following the traffic stops, federal agents discovered the following during inspections of the second van and two trucks: • 173 total packages in the truck stopped near 923½ Coolidge Avenue, with a total approximate weight of 286.20 kgs (630.96 lbs.); • 423 total packages in the truck stopped near Buy 4 Less, with a total approximate weight of 469.40 kgs (1034.84 lbs.); and • 255 total packages in the van stopped near 923½ Coolidge Avenue, with a total approximate weight of 274 kgs (604.06 lbs.). The packages contained a substance, a sample of which field tested positive for cocaine, with a total approximate weight of 1,029.60 kgs (2,269.87 pounds)—or well over 1 ton. Following seizure of the suspected cocaine on May 29, 2026, a U.S. Magistrate Judge signed warrants authorizing searches at Buy 4 Less and 923½ Coolidge Avenue. At Buy 4 Less, agents found the exit point of the subterranean tunnel, concealed under the floor of a storage room within the store. The tunnel, which was accessed using a sophisticated hydraulic lift, is approximately 55 feet deep and extends approximately 1,064 feet from its exit point at Buy 4 Less to the U.S./Mexico International Border, where agents estimate it continues for another approximately 800 feet to its entry point. The tunnel is equipped with electricity and ventilation and, at some points, is up to 4.5 feet tall. “For these defendants, it wasn’t a light at the end of the tunnel. It was lights and sirens,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “This investigation and seizure represent a significant blow to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. The discovery and dismantlement of this sophisticated cross-border tunnel, along with the seizure of more than a ton of cocaine, underscore the commitment and collaboration of Homeland Security Investigations and our Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) partners” said Kevin Murphy, acting Special Agent in Charge for HSI San Diego. “HSI Special Agents and task force members worked tirelessly to disrupt the flow of dangerous narcotics into our communities, and we remain steadfast in our mission to protect the public and keep our communities safe.” “Criminal organizations continue to look for ways to exploit our border, but they underestimate the determination of the men and women protecting it,” said U.S. Border Patrol San Diego Sector Chief Patrol Agent Justin De La Torre. “This tunnel’s discovery is a testament to our strong partnerships and the unwavering commitment of law enforcement on both sides of the border.” “Law enforcement collaboration is the backbone of dismantling sophisticated transnational drug cartels, as these organizations rely on vast illicit supply chains spanning multiple jurisdictions,” said San Diego County Sheriff Kelly Martinez. “Joint operations disrupt trafficking networks, choke illicit financial flows, and prevent transnational cartels from exploiting jurisdictional gaps. The Sheriff's Office is grateful for the partnerships, hard work, and dedication of everyone involved in this investigation and we will continue to support our federal partners in cases that keep our communities safe.” “The San Diego Imperial Valley HIDTA proudly supports federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in their efforts to target transnational criminal organizations who place a priority on proceeds from drug trafficking over human lives,” said David King, Executive Director of San Diego Imperial Valley HIDTA. “The drugs recovered from this sophisticated cross border tunnel will thankfully never make it into communities throughout California and the United States thereby saving countless lives from the scourges of drug addiction and overdose deaths.” There have been 99 subterranean passages discovered in the Southern District of California since 1993. Of those, 28 were considered sophisticated. The last operational tunnel discovered in the Southern District of California was in 2022. The defendants are scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon by U.S. Magistrate Judge Valerie E. Torres. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Deshong and Jordan Arakawa. Video of the tunnel: https://youtube.com/shorts/PkMfeXh6C6Y https://youtube.com/shorts/6D0kSckaSE0 DEFENDANTS Case Number 26mj03219 Gregorio Epifanio Hernandez Lopez Age: 29 San Diego, California Jose Jimenez Age: 32 San Diego, California Antonio Cortez Age: 18 Mexico Brandon Escalante Sandoval Age: 26 Mexico SUMMARY OF CHARGES Constructing, Financing, or Using Unauthorized Tunnels—Title 18, U.S.C., Section 555 Maximum penalty: Life in prison and $10 million fine *Hernandez Lopez Importation of a Controlled Substance—Title 21, U.S.C., Section 841 and 846 Maximum penalty: Life in prison and $10 million fine *Hernandez Lopez Distribution of a Controlled Substance—Title 21, U.S.C., Section 841 and 846 Maximum penalty: Life in prison and $10 million fine *All defendants INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Homeland Security Investigations U.S. Border Patrol San Diego County Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Administration U.S. Customs and Border Protection Federal Bureau of Investigation High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Program California Department of Justice *Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals, Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Interpol, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California. High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, provides assistance to Federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. This grant program is administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). There are currently 33 HIDTAs, and HIDTA-designated counties are located in 50 states, as well as in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia.


title: Bronx Man Pleads Guilty To Trafficking More Than 100 Firearms Into New York City

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced today that EDSON BROWN, a Bronx resident, pled guilty to an 18-count indictment, charging him with crimes in connection with a firearms trafficking scheme spanning more than a year and involving at least two straw purchasers. BROWN pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge John P. Cronan. “New Yorkers want criminals who use guns off our streets and, together with the NYPD, the FBI, the ATF, and many others, we are committed to pursuing gun-toting criminals and gun traffickers,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “To be clear, gun traffickers are criminals who serve violent criminals—there is no place for them in New York.” As alleged in the Superseding Indictment and other public filings in this case: Between in or about July 2023 and in or about February 2025, BROWN, who lived in the Bronx, traveled to North Carolina and South Carolina more than a dozen times to illegally purchase approximately 118 firearms at gun stores, each of which were federal firearms licensees (“FFLs”) that he then transported back to New York and sold. BROWN was not allowed to purchase or possess guns because he is a convicted felon. BROWN’s illegal purchases were split between North Carolina and South Carolina. BROWN illegally acquired approximately 53 guns in North Carolina that he then transported to New York and sold to others. Between July and December 2023, BROWN made six trips from New York to North Carolina with a straw purchaser, that is, someone who falsely stated to FFLs that the straw purchaser was buying the guns legally and for his or her own use, but in reality was buying the firearms for BROWN and for the purpose of resale in New York. BROWN also illegally acquired approximately 65 guns in South Carolina that he then transported to New York and sold to others. Between October 2023 and February 2025, the defendant worked with a second straw purchaser in South Carolina to acquire those guns. Sometimes that straw purchaser bought the guns and then transferred them to the defendant. Other times the defendant traveled to South Carolina from New York, impersonated the straw purchaser himself by using the straw purchaser’s ID to buy the guns, and then transported the guns back to New York himself. BROWN defaced many of the guns by removing their serial numbers before selling them in New York. Members of the NYPD have recovered seven of the guns that BROWN trafficked from North Carolina and South Carolina to New York. Six of those seven guns had obliterated serial numbers that the NYPD firearms lab was able to restore—and thus trace back to BROWN’s purchases in North Carolina and South Carolina. The remaining firearms that BROWN trafficked have not yet been recovered, or if they have been recovered, members of law enforcement have been unable to trace them because their serial numbers cannot be restored. * * * BROWN, 37, of the Bronx, New York, pled guilty to the following 18 crimes, which carry the maximum sentences described in the below chart: Count(s) Charge Maximum Sentence 1 Conspiracy to Traffic Firearms 15 years 2 Firearms Trafficking 15 years 3 Unlicensed Dealing of Firearms Five years 4-18 Unlicensed Transportation of Firearms Five years per count The statutory maximum sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the New York City Police Department. This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent Organizations and Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Jones and Joseph H. Rosenberg are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Naturalized Citizen from the Congo Sentenced to Federal Prison For Involvement in Scheme to Defraud the United States

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who came to the United States in 2008 was sentenced to six months in prison today for his involvement in a conspiracy to defraud the government. Joseph Onolenga Okamba, age 40, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, received the prison term after a November 13, 2025, guilty plea to conspiracy to defraud the United States. Two other members of the conspiracy have already been sentenced. Joseph Longanga Okoko was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment, and Medard Lotahe Elonge was sentenced to twelve months and one day imprisonment. In a plea agreement, Okamba admitted that an object of the conspiracy was to fraudulently obtain visas for citizens of the Congo, including family members and friends who were not otherwise eligible for citizenship. As part of the conspiracy, Okamba was involved in multiple visa petitions where the petitioner, who had previously won the diversity visa lottery, was fraudulently asking to bring an alleged spouse to the United States. As part of the federal investigation, one of the petitioners was summoned to grand jury. Okamba, along with co-defendant Medard Lotahe Elonge, provided the individual a marriage certificate of a fraudulent marriage to submit to the grand jury as proof of the legitimacy of the purported marriage. Additionally, Okamba successfully petitioned for an individual to come to the United States claiming the individual was his birth mom, knowing they were not biologically related. When questioned by law enforcement officers about his relationship to the woman, Okamba lied about her name and birthdate. During an interview with law enforcement officers in 2023, Okamba admitted to assisting hundreds of Congolese people with immigration paperwork. Okamba was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Okamba was sentenced to 6 months’ imprisonment and fined $4,000. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Okamba was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the United States Marshal on June 22, 2026. Bienvenu Saido Binyangi, who was charged in the same indictment and has also pled guilty, has yet to be sentenced. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew J. Cole and Nicole L. Nagin and was investigated by the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Waterloo Police Department, the Sioux City Police Department, and the Iowa Department of Transportation. 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. On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 24-CR-2052. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Supporting McMahon Ryan Child Advocacy Center Through America’s 250th Birthday Celebration

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - As part of America’s 250th Birthday celebration initiative, the United States Attorney’s Office is proud to support McMahon Ryan Child Advocacy Center through a gift-in-kind donation drive benefiting children and families in crisis. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III led the effort recognizing the important partnership McMahon Ryan brings to United States Attorney’s Office in support of victims. McMahon Ryan Child Advocacy Center provides immediate assistance to children facing abuse and trauma, while offering healing through counseling, advocacy, and support services. The organization also works to educate and empower the community to help prevent future abuse. Project Safe Childhood and Human Trafficking cases receive wraparound care through the Child Advocacy Center, providing critical services and support for victims and their families. FAUSA Sarcone Said: “As we celebrate the 250 th Birthday of America we are reminded of the values that formed this great nation, Liberty, Service and Civic Responsivity, all ideals that shine bright through the work of the McMahon Ryan Child Advocacy Center. Our office was glad to participate in this collection and looks forward to our continued partnership.” This effort was made possible through the generosity and participation of employees of the Syracuse and Binghamton United States Attorney’s Offices, as part of the ongoing Freedom 250 celebration. Freedom 250 celebrates the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America. It honors the enduring ideals of Liberty, Service, and Civic Responsibility. Left to right: Ivy Schoff, Erin Bates, John A. Sarcone III, Michelle Jaeger, Desirae Boehle-Berler Syracuse U.S. Attorney’s Office Staff with collected items


title: Founder of Citron Research Found Guilty of Scheming to Manipulate Stock Market via Media Campaigns

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – A stock analyst and frequent guest on business television news channels was found guilty by a jury today for using his public platform to illicitly profit by manipulating stock market activity and trading opposite to the position he presented to the public. Andrew Left, 55, formerly of Beverly Hills but who now resides in Boca Raton, Florida, was found guilty of one count of securities fraud scheme and 12 counts of securities fraud. “Left used his TV appearances to disguise his intentions, manipulate the stock market, and pad his pockets,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “A fair and transparent securities market is a foundation of our nation’s financial system. We will continue to bring to justice individuals who abuse the public trust placed in financial advisors.” “Frauds such as the one perpetrated by Left can erode investor confidence which impacts our capital markets” said Patrick Grandy, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office. “While this conviction cannot make up for the significant and emotional harm he inflicted upon his unwitting investors, it does send a message to those who may be looking to profit from similar schemes – think twice because the FBI has a proven track record of rooting out fraudsters who illegally tilt the playing field against honest investors and undermine confidence in our markets.” According to evidence presented at a 15-day trial, Left was a securities analyst, trader, and frequent guest commentator on business cable news channels such as CNBC, Fox Business, and Bloomberg Television. He also published under the name “Citron Research,” an online moniker he created as for his platform to publish investment recommendations. Citron’s online presence included a website and a social media account on X, formerly known as Twitter. Using Citron’s online platform, Left commented on publicly traded companies and asserted that the market incorrectly valued the companies’ stock, advocating that the current price was too high or too low. Left’s recommendations often included an explicit or implicit representation about Citron’s trading position and a “target price,” which he represented as his own view of the security’s true future value. Left used his social media following and public platform to earn at least $21 million in quick profits by fraudulently manipulating the stock market from at least March 2018 to October 2023. Knowing that Citron’s reputation with investors had the power to move markets, Left selected a publicly traded company about which he intended to publish commentary with the intention of manipulating its share price. Left prepared commentary about the company for dissemination through Citron. Sometimes, the commentary represented Left’s own work. Other times, Left disseminated as his own the commentary of third parties. The commentary routinely included sensationalized headlines and inflammatory language to maximize the immediate impact their publication would have on the stock market. In the lead up to publication of Citron’s commentary, Left established long or short positions in a company in his trading accounts, so he profited by taking advantage of the intended short-term movement in the company’s share price caused by his commentary. To exploit his advanced knowledge of the timing and subject of the forthcoming commentary on the company, Left often built his positions using inexpensive, short-dated options contracts that expired the same day that he published his commentary. Left also submitted limit orders to close his positions as soon as the company’s shares reached a certain price – often at prices vastly different from the target prices Citron’s commentary touted. Though Left represented to the public that his recommendations were to be trusted, behind the scenes, Left took opposite trading positions to reap quick profits off the stocks he either promoted or pilloried through Citron. To maintain the illusion of Citron’s independence and the credibility of its commentary, Left concealed Citron’s financial relationships with hedge funds. According to the indictment, for example, Left lied to law enforcement that Citron “never” exchanged compensation with a hedge fund or coordinated trading with a hedge fund in advance of the issuance of its commentary. For example, in November 2018, Left wrote a portfolio manager about Nvidia Corp., a publicly traded technology company based in Santa Clara, California. In the message, Left wrote, “Do you want to make some fast money[.] Put together a thesis why nvda is oversold . . . We can destroy it . . . Just read the analyst notes from this past quarter and assemble the best of the ideas.” Later that morning, Left took financial positions in Nvidia, including short-dated call options that expired three days later. Short-dated options can offer quick profits if a stock suddenly moves in the narrow timeframe before expiration. Left then promoted Nvidia as a favorable investment on Citron’s Twitter account, stating, “Citron buys $NVDA. This is the first time in 2 years stock offers an appealing risk-reward to investors . . . We see $165 before we see $120.” At the time, Nvidia’s stock was trading at approximately $143.64. The tweet was reported on by major media outlets. Despite his representation that he expected Nvidia’s share price to rise to $165, less than two hours after announcing “Citron buys $NVDA,” Left sold all his pre-tweet positions Nvidia was trading within a range of approximately $150 – $151, for a profit of at least than $960,000. Nvidia closed at a high of $154 on the day of Left’s tweet and fell to $144 the next day. Left also furthered his scheme by misrepresenting his trading positions during public appearances on news programs. After denouncing one company as a “fraud” on CNBC’s “Fast Money,” for example, Left falsely claimed to have covered only a “small size” of his position in the company’s stock when, earlier that same day, he had already closed out most of his position following the publication of commentary through Citron. The jury acquitted Left of four counts of securities fraud for trades for four specific companies. United States District Judge Virginia A. Phillips scheduled an August 31 sentencing hearing, at which time Left would face a statutory maximum sentence of 25 years in federal prison for the securities fraud scheme count, up to 20 years in federal prison for each count of securities fraud. The FBI and the United States Postal Inspection Service investigated this matter, with substantial assistance from FINRA’s Criminal Prosecution Assistance Group. Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew M. Roach of the Major Frauds Section and Benedetto L. Balding of the Transnational Organized Crime Section and Acting Assistant Chief Matthew Reilly of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting this case. The Justice Department's Criminal Division's Fraud Section uses the Victim Notification System (VNS) to provide victims with case information and updates related to this case. Victims with questions may contact the Fraud Section’s Victim Assistance Unit by calling the Victim Assistance phone line at (888) 549-3945 or by emailing victimassistance.fraud@usdoj.gov . To learn more about victims’ rights, please visit www.justice.gov/criminal-vns/victim-rights-derechos-de-las-v-ctimas .


title: Man arrested for threatening a Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s detective

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Layton Love, 46, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with interstate communication of a threat, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. According to the complaint, the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office contacted the FBI regarding threatening text messages sent on May 18, 2026, to the cellular telephone number of a detective (Victim) with the Sheriff’s Office. The text message stated: You and your family are going to die soon! I will personally do the job if necessary. Death to the weaponized government means death to the weaponized government literally, (Victim) you are living on borrowed time. The home you own on (REDACTED)… is a legitimate target and will be hit at a time and place of my choosing. Prepare to die, (Victim), and everyone you hold dear. Your terrorist regime will burn. Subsequent investigation identified Love as the user of the telephone number the threatening text messages were sent from. On May 21, 2026, a New York State arrest warrant was issued, charging Love with Making a Terroristic Threat, and Aggravated Harassment. Love was located and arrested by the Pennsylvania State Police at his parents’ residence in Eldred, PA. Love made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. and was held pending a detention hearing on June 8, 2026. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey E. Intravatola. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Brendan Dunford and the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Eric Butler. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. # # # #


title: Honduran Illegal Alien Indicted For  Illegally Possessing Firearm

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

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – ERLIN JOVANY GAMEZ MALDONADO ("GAMEZ-MALDONADO") , age 29, a native of Honduras, was indicted on May 28, 2026, for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(5)(A) and 924(a)(8), announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle. According to court documents, on or about May 4, 2026, GAMEZ-MALDONADO , an individual unlawfully present in the United States, was found to have possessed an Anderson Manufacturing, Model AM-15 rifle, multi-caliber firearm. If convicted, GAMEZ-MALDONADO faces a maximum penalty of 15 years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee. United States Attorney Courcelle reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Mary Katherine Kaufman of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution. 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: Alien Sent to Prison for Illegally Voting in North Carolina Elections

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced a Canadian citizen to two months in federal prison for making false claims of United States citizenship to vote in the 2022 elections and 2024 presidential election. Denis Bouchard, 70, falsely claimed to be a United States citizen when he voted, including registering to vote in the 2024 presidential election. Bouchard resided in the United States since the 1960’s but never became a citizen. He illegally certified that he was a United States citizen on North Carolina voter registration applications and ballots. Bouchard made these false claims of citizenship to vote in North Carolina elections dating back to 2004. Voting records confirm that he unlawfully cast a ballot in nine federal elections between 2004 and 2024. “We will not allow aliens to disrupt and degrade the U.S. democratic system by lying to pervert the outcome our elections. Every American citizen’s vote is sacred. Allowing a single illegal vote by any ineligible person destroys and negates a citizen’s vote. We have had recent statewide elections decided by 401 votes; some local elections decided by about 20 votes. It happened here, and it can happen anywhere.” United States Attorney W. Ellis Boyle stated today. “The prison sentence that the Court imposed sends a strong warning about the consequences of attempting to take advantage of this country’s free and fair election process. We will protect the Constitutional right of citizens to vote, and prosecute those who attempt to corrupt that system.” Bouchard pleaded guilty to two counts of 18 U.S.C. § 1015(f). Bouchard also faces one year of supervised release and will be subject to immigration consequences. W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after the Honorable James C. Dever announced the sentence. The FBI investigated the case, with assistance from the North Carolina Board of Elections, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Haughton prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on our website . Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:25-CR-00083-D.


title: Dulce Man Pleads Guilty to Assault by a Habitual Offender

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Dulce man pleaded guilty to federal charges of assault by a habitual offender for strangling and suffocating a woman after previously being convicted at least twice in tribal court for assault offenses. According to court documents, on April 3, 2025, Tyler Vigil , 32, an enrolled member of the Jicarilla Apache Indian Tribe, assaulted Jane Doe by strangling and suffocating her. Vigil has at least two prior convictions in Indian tribal court for assault. Vigil pleaded guilty to assault by a habitual offender and faces up to five years in prison at sentencing. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today. The Jicarilla Apache Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael R. Pahl is prosecuting the case.


title: Kershaw County Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Distribution

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Van Lydell Starling, 48, of Kershaw, has pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute crack cocaine. Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that on July 20, 2023, investigators with the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at a home on Green Hill Road in Lugoff, which was the known residence of Starling. During the search, investigators found multiple guns, a box of sandwich bags with a razor blade, several digital scales with white residue on them, a clear container containing crack cocaine residue, a black notebook that appeared to be a drug ledger, Starling’s identification card, and crack cocaine located under the mattress in Starling’s bedroom. Based upon the amounts of drugs, the multiple digital scales, the sandwich bags, and the drug ledger, the police determined that the crack cocaine was intended to be distributed. Starling faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Starling after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case. ###


title: Fayette County Man Sentenced to More than 12 Years in Prison for Federal Drug Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Daemien Thompson, 40, of Oak Hill, was sentenced on Thursday, May 28, 2026, to 12 years and 11 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, Thompson admitted to conspiring with other individuals to obtain methamphetamine and distribute it within the Southern District of West Virginia from on or about November 27, 2022, until on or about December 6, 2023. More than 3.5 pounds of 100 percent pure methamphetamine was distributed as part of the conspiracy. On November 27, 2022, Thompson and a co-conspirator sold 446 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for $2,600. Thompson admitted to the transaction and further admitted that his co-conspirators sold methamphetamine to the same confidential informant on other occasions, usually in quantities of 1 pound or more, at various locations, including an Oak Hill trailer park. As part of his guilty plea, Thompson admitted to the drug trafficking organization being involved in controlled buys of high-purity methamphetamine on December 5, 2022, December 14, 2022, and February 2, 2023, with a total amount of approximately 2.59 pounds of actual methamphetamine distributed during the transactions. Thompson is among four individuals indicted by a federal grand jury on charges alleging they participated in the drug trafficking conspiracy. All four pleaded guilty. Phillip Gray, 42, of Oak Hill, was sentenced on October 15, 2025, to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Leondus Whittenburg, 44, of Beckley, was sentenced on August 19, 2025, to seven years and 11 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine. John Gray, 40, of Oak Hill and Phillip Gray’s brother, was sentenced on December 2, 2025, to three years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to distribution of a quantity of methamphetamine. Thompson has a criminal history that includes prior convictions for third-degree sexual assault, delivery of a controlled substance, and unlawful assault. “This successful prosecution disrupted a ruinous drug trafficking conspiracy and secured convictions and prison terms for all four defendants indicted,” said United States Attorney Moore Capito. “The sentence imposed on this defendant underscores our commitment to rid our streets of those who endanger them through the trafficking of dangerous drugs.” Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the West Virginia State Police – Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), and the Central Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force. Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy D. Boggess and Brian D. Parsons and former Assistant United States Attorney Andrew D. Isabell prosecuted the case. 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. 5:24-cr-31. ###


title: 13 Illegal Aliens Arrested, 8 Indicted for Using a False Social Security Number to Obtain Employment

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Paducah, KY – On May 21 and May 22, 2026, federal law enforcement agencies arrested 13 illegal aliens in the Paducah area. Of those arrests, 8 had pending criminal arrest warrants after a federal grand jury in Paducah returned indictments on May 12 and April 14, 2026, for falsely using social security numbers during their employment verification. The illegal aliens not charged criminally will be held in ICE custody, pending removal proceedings and potential deportation. U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge Dennis M. Fetting of the Homeland Security Investigations Nashville, Acting Special Agent in Charge Norman Jenkins, Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, and Sam Olson, Field Office Director for Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Chicago, U.S. Immigration Customs made the announcement. According to the indictments, between June 23, 2021, and August 15, 2025, in McCracken County, eight of the illegal aliens completed USCIS I-9 forms to apply for and receive compensation for employment, knowing that the Social Security account numbers used on the forms were not assigned to them. Form I-9, officially called the Employment Eligibility Verification form, is required by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to verify both the identity and employment authorization of non-citizens hired for work in the United States. The following eight were charged by indictment for using a false social security number: Daniel Martinez Cruz , 22, a citizen of Mexico Manuel Martinez Garcia , 32, a citizen of Mexico Joel Gomez , 36, a citizen of Guatemala Juan Pastor Gonzalez , 36, a citizen of Guatemala Julio Venture Hernandez , 29, a citizen of Mexico Marcelina Juarez-Vicente , 33, a citizen of Guatemala Ricardo Lopez, 23 , a citizen of Guatemala Ana Osorio Louzado , 23, a citizen of Spain On May 22, 2026, the 8 indicted defendants made initial appearances before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky. If convicted, each defendant faces a sentence of not more than 5 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. United States Attorney Kyle Bumgarner stated, “As alleged in the indictment, these illegal aliens lied about their status to gain employment and, thereby, took jobs from American citizens. This prosecution is part of our continuing effort to support President Trump’s mission to enforce American’s immigration laws and put Americans first.” “This investigation demonstrates our commitment to upholding the integrity of the nation’s employment and immigration systems,” said HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Dennis M. Fetting. “By uncovering and addressing the fraudulent use, our team has sent a clear message that those who attempt to circumvent federal law will be held accountable. This case underscores the importance of coordinated enforcement and collaboration in safeguarding American workplaces by combatting fraud in all forms.” “These arrests highlight our commitment to protecting the integrity of Social Security numbers and holding accountable those who misuse the identities of American citizens for unlawful employment,” said Michelle L. Anderson, Assistant Inspector General for Audit as First Assistant for the SSA Office of the Inspector General. “We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to investigate identity fraud and protect the public from this type of criminal activity.” “These are not victimless crimes,” said ICE Louisville acting Assistant Field Office Director, Luis Aguirre. “Using fraudulent social security numbers to take jobs from American citizens hurts our communities and American workers. I am so proud of our officers and partners who work tirelessly to enforce our immigration laws.” This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, and the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond McGee, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer Announces Appointment of Joyce M. Malliet as First Assistant U.S. Attorney

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced today that Joyce M. Malliet has been appointed First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey. As First Assistant, Malliet will serve as the Office’s second-ranking official and assist in leading the Office’s operations and mission throughout the District of New Jersey. “Joyce Malliet is an exceptional prosecutor, leader, and public servant whose career reflects an unwavering commitment to justice and the people of New Jersey. For nearly twenty-four years, she has served this Office with distinction, and I am confident that her experience, judgment, and dedication will continue to strengthen our mission and support the outstanding work of our prosecutors and staff.” - U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer Malliet has served as an Assistant United States Attorney for nearly twenty-four years and currently serves as Chief of the National Security Unit, becoming the first woman to lead that section. During her tenure, she has helped lead efforts to prevent, disrupt, and prosecute threats to national security and terrorism. She previously served in the Office’s Special Prosecutions Division and Securities and Health Care Fraud Unit and has long been involved with the District’s ReNew Re-Entry Court, which helps formerly incarcerated individuals successfully reintegrate into society. Before entering public service, Malliet was the first African-American partner at Clausen Miller, P.C. She is a Trustee of the Association of the Federal Bar of New Jersey and a founding member of the Black Prosecutors Association of New Jersey. Throughout her career, Malliet has distinguished herself as a respected prosecutor, mentor, and leader within both the Office and the broader legal community. ###


title: Former Utah School Bus Driver Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Starting School Bus Fire

body_text: SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Michael Austin Ford, 60, of West Valley City, was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment for setting a school bus on fire in 2023. The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge David Sam, came after Ford pleaded guilty on March 26, 2026, to arson of a vehicle belonging to an organization receiving federal funds. In addition to his term of imprisonment, Ford was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $21,690.42 in restitution. According to court documents and admissions made at Ford’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, he intentionally set a Granite School District school bus on fire with a cigarette lighter on April 7, 2023. Ford was captured on video igniting the bus and continued to drive the bus with smoke billowing past his face. In other court documents, prosecutors stated that Ford attempted to tamper with the bus’s video surveillance system in the days preceding the April 2023 arson. On a separate occasion in February 2022, Ford was also accused of setting a Granite School District school bus on fire that had 42 children inside and did so while driving in traffic, but the charge was dismissed as part of his plea agreement. “Protecting our most vulnerable population is a top priority of this administration and my office,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah. "I want to thank our law enforcement partners and my office who worked tirelessly on this case to bring it to a close and hold Mr. Ford accountable for his intentional disregard for safety and the law.” "ATF’s top priority is protecting our communities from violent crimes, including acts of arson," said ATF Special Agent in Charge Chris Ashbridge. "We commend our partners at the Utah State Fire Marshal’s Office for their incredible work on this investigation, as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Utah, which collectively ensured justice was served today." The case was investigated jointly by the Utah State Fire Marshal’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Michael J. Thorpe of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuted the case.


title: York County Man Pleads Guilty to Straw Purchasing Firearms

body_text: COLUMBIA, S.C. — Gregory Tischuk, 66, of York County, has pleaded guilty to straw purchasing firearms. Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Baltimore Field Office learned that Gregory Tischuk was trafficking guns from Fort Mill to Baltimore, Maryland, through a gun trafficker operating in Charlotte, North Carolina. The gun trafficker could not legally own or purchase firearms. An undercover ATF agent began buying guns from the gun trafficker in Baltimore and Charlotte. Over the course of their investigation, the undercover agent purchased approximately 106 guns, with many of the guns coming from North and South Carolina. Six of the firearms purchased were traced back to Tischuk, a resident of Fort Mill. In several text messages, the gun trafficker asked Tischuk for a Glock 27 pistol for the trafficker’s wife. Tischuk indicated that he did not have one but one could get one. The trafficker then agreed to sell the undercover agent a Glock 27 pistol. On March 21, 2024, the undercover agent bought 10 guns in Maryland from the gun trafficker, including a Glock 27. The Glock 27 was traced back to Tischuk. The trafficker purchased the gun from Tischuk on March 15, 2024 in Prosperity, South Carolina. In April 2024, Tischuk agreed to sell the gun trafficker another Glock 27. Tischuk purchased another Glock 27 on April 4, 2024, as part of a multiple purchase of firearms. It was later recovered by the ATF on April 30, 2024, in Baltimore. As evidenced by the text messages, Tischuk knew he was not buying the firearm for himself when he filled out the ATF Form 4473. Tischuk made a false declaration when filling out the ATF Form 4473. Investigators interviewed Tischuk after the execution of a search warrant at his home. Tischuk admitted he knew the gun trafficker and had sold him multiple firearms, specifically more than one Glock 27. He admitted he straw purchased the Glock 27 with the intent to immediately sell it to the subject for profit. Investigators seized more than 100 firearms during the search of his home. Tischuk faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Tischuk after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case.


title: Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Sexually Exploiting Minors to Produce CSAM

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – A Maryland man pled guilty in federal court to child sex abuse crimes. Mark Travis Brigham, 36, of Mount Airy, is charged with sexually exploiting a child and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Akil Baldwin, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland; Sheriff Charles A. Jenkins, Frederick County Sheriff’s Office; and J. Charles Smith III, State’s Attorney for Frederick County. According to his guilty plea, between September 2023 and August 2024, Brigham persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced three minor females to engage in sexually explicit conduct. He used his cellphone to produce multiple sexually explicit images and videos of the victims. Brigham exploited the victims for the purpose of producing visual depictions of sexually explicit conduct. On August 6, 2025, investigators executed a search warrant at Brigham’s Mount Airy residence. During the search, law enforcement seized a tablet, digital camera with a SD card, and two cellphones, along with 35 firearms, ammunition, and a magazine. Investigators then examined the devices and uncovered the CSAM files. Brigham faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a minor. Additionally, Brigham faces a maximum of 10 years in federal prison for possessing child sexual abuse material. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page. Know2Protect is a Department of Homeland Security national public awareness campaign to educate and empower children, teens, parents, trusted adults and policymakers to prevent and combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse ; explain how to report online enticement and victimization; and offer resources for victims and survivors and their supporters. Learn more about Know2Protect at www.dhs.gov/know2protect . U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI, the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, and State’s Attorney’s Office for Frederick County, for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexandria A. Bell and Paul E. Budlow who are prosecuting the federal case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md . # # #


title: America 250 Charity Drive Collects items for Wellspring

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – In recognition of America’s 250 th birthday the Department of Justice and the United States Attorney’s Office is proud to support Wellspring through a gift-in-kind donation drive. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III led the effort recognizing the important partnership Wellspring brings to United States Attorney’s Office in support of victims. Wellspring is the domestic violence and sexual assault services resource for Saratoga County residents and the sexual assault services resource for Washington County residents. Wellspring’s mission is to support survivors and engage our community to end relationship and sexual abuse. In recognition of this event First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III said “As our office celebrates the 250 th birthday of our nation, we are reminded that one group alone cannot do it all. We are proud to collect and donate these items in support of our partners’ mission and to support victims. Their partnership and resources are a vital piece of the puzzle during the often long and complex investigations and prosecutions surrounding their work.” This effort was made possible through the generosity and participation of employees of the Albany and Plattsburg United States Attorney’s Offices, as part of the ongoing Freedom 250 celebration. Freedom 250 celebrates the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America. It honors the enduring ideals of Liberty, Service, and Civic Responsibility.


title: Nurse Practitioner in Jacksonville Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Distribution of Controlled Substances

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – Kenyatta Dacres (45, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to unlawful distribution of controlled substances. She faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to court documents, Dacres was an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN), commonly known as a nurse practitioner, licensed in Florida. Dacres prescribed an undercover agent from the Drug Enforcement Administration controlled substances on three separate occasions. Specifically, Dacres prescribed Lortab pills containing hydrocodone, in increasing dosages, despite the agent indicating that he was not in any pain. Dacres also prescribed Adderall pills containing amphetamine despite him denying any history or diagnoses that would support that and despite the agent’s indication that he’s recently been arrested for possession of methamphetamine. A medical doctor reviewed the materials related to the investigation and determined that Dacres’s prescriptions for Lortab and Adderall were issued without a legitimate medical purpose and outside the course of professional practice. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelli Swaney.


title: Convicted Felon Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A convicted felon has been sentenced for illegal possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr. U.S. District Judge Madeline H. Haikala sentenced Charles Frederick Austin, Jr., 44, of Birmingham, to 60 months in prison. In February, Austin pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on October 22, 2023, officers with the Birmingham Police Department responded to a Shot Spotter call in the Gate City Community. When the officers arrived, they were informed that a shootout had taken place on 67 th Street South. Officers arrived at 67 th Street South and observed Austin walking quickly down the street. An officer noticed something in Austin’s waistband which appeared consistent with a firearm. The officers then contacted Austin, retrieved a Canik 9mm firearm from his waistband, and arrested him. Austin is prohibited from possessing a firearm because of multiple prior felony convictions. Austin pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm in two separate cases in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama in May 2008 and February 2013. Austin also incurred four felony convictions between 2005 and 2021—three in the Circuit Court of Jefferson County and one in the Circuit Court of Shelby County. The ATF investigated the case along with the Birmingham Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin A Keown, Sr., and John G. Camp prosecuted the case.


title: Florida Resident Sentenced To 5 Years For Obtaining Fraudulent COVID Loans, Scams Targeting Investors, And Stealing Government Property

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO - Thomas Aaron Signorelli was sentenced today to more than 5 years in federal prison for crimes including bank fraud, wire fraud, obstructing justice, and conspiring to launder the proceeds of fraud. U.S. District Judge James Donato handed down the sentence. Signorelli, 48, of West Palm Beach, Florida, was charged by Information on September 19, 2024, and on November 25, 2024, he pleaded guilty to bank fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, theft of government property, obstruction of justice, and money laundering conspiracy. According to the plea agreement, Signorelli admitted that he caused the submission of applications for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan and a loan under the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) that contained false statements regarding the number of employees and annual revenue for a company that Signorelli controlled. These loans totaled $61,725 and were not repaid. In addition, Signorelli admitted that he engaged in two other fraud schemes, both schemes involving false statements made to prospective investors to obtain hundreds of thousands of dollars from defrauded investors. When law enforcement agents sought to execute a search warrant authorizing a search of Signorelli’s mobile phone, Signorelli deleted WhatsApp messages with a co-conspirator that he knew were evidence of a crime, as admitted by Signorelli. Signorelli also admitted that he offered to launder money that he believed was the proceeds of drug trafficking, and that an individual he now understands was an undercover law enforcement agent provided funds to Signorelli for laundering. Signorelli admitted that he received $150,000 of what he believed was drug proceeds, and that instead of laundering these funds, he stole this money. The losses caused by Signorelli’s criminal conduct totaled more than $1.9 million. United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Cobo, and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Oakland Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge David Lowe made the announcement. In addition to the 63-month prison term, Judge Donato also sentenced the defendant to a 3-year period of supervised release. The defendant is currently in custody and will begin serving the sentence immediately. Judge Donato will set a further hearing regarding restitution. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick O’Brien is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Lynette Dixon and Mimi Lam. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and IRS-CI. On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.


title: RAD Diversified REIT Co-Founder Indicted for Submitting False Information During the Purchase of his $1.6 Million House

body_text: Tampa, Florida – Brandon Dutch Mendenhall (46, Brandon, FL) has been charged by indictment with one count of mail fraud. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Mendenhall that the United States intends to forfeit a house, which is alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement. According to the indictment, Mendenhall operated RAD Diversified REIT and other investment funds that solicited individuals to invest in real estate properties through these entities. Beginning in November 2021, Mendenhall applied for a home mortgage with Lender 1 for the purchase of his personal residence. During the mortgage application process, Mendenhall over-inflated his personal income and represented to the lender that the business operating accounts for some of his investment funds were his personal income because he was the owner of these businesses. This information was material to the lender’s decision regarding whether the lender would approve and fund the $1.2 million mortgage loan Mendenhall was seeking. As a result of the material misrepresentations made by Mendenhall, Mendenhall caused the mortgage closing documents to be sent by mail to a title company located in the Middle District of Florida. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Florida Office of Financial Regulation – Bureau of Financial Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Department of Labor – Employee Benefits Security Administration. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Merrilyn Hoenemeyer. If you have invested money with RAD Diversified, please consider visiting forms.fbi.gov/RADDiversifiedVictim to complete a voluntary questionnaire hosted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Please direct questions regarding the questionnaire to RADDiversifiedVictim@fbi.gov . Indictment


title: Honduran National Guilty of Illegal Reentry of Removed Alien

component: USAO - Louisiana, Eastern

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – UBALDO YASIR AMAYA-COLINDRES (“AMAYA-COLINDRES”) , age 27, a citizen of Honduras, pled guilty on May 28, 2026, to reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. His sentencing is set before U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon on June 25, 2026. According to the bill of information, AMAYA-COLINDRES reentered the United States sometime prior to March 1, 2026, after having been previously removed on or about June 13, 2024. AMAYA-COLINDRES faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three years supervised release after imprisonment, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Irene González is in charge of the prosecution. 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. * * *


title: Man Federally Charged for Armed Carjacking in Downtown Lubbock

body_text: A man has been charged in connection with an armed carjacking that occurred next to the federal and county courthouses in downtown Lubbock, Texas last Friday morning, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould. Isaiah Joshua Lee Houston, 26, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, was federally charged for his role in a May 29, 2026, carjacking that ended with Houston being shot. Houston was charged by federal complaint less than eight hours after the attack. Houston will make his initial appearance on the charges today, June 1, 2026, and remains in federal custody pending further proceedings. If convicted, Houston faces a statutory maximum sentence of fifteen years in federal prison. “Less than two weeks ago, I stood next to representatives from several law enforcement agencies and announced Operation Hub City Shield,” said U.S. Attorney Raybould. “I made clear that the incredible relationship between our federal, state, and local partners is what makes Lubbock the gold standard for law enforcement cooperation. When violent criminals seek to target innocent members of the public, together we will swiftly find them, charge them, and use the full weight of federal and state laws to hold them accountable. Mr. Houston should have been listening.” “The swift response of law enforcement and security personnel helped bring this dangerous situation to a safe conclusion,” said Special Agent in Charge Brian Garner of the ATF Dallas Field Division. “Any violent crime involving the threatened use of force in a public setting poses a serious risk to the community. ATF will continue working alongside our local, state, and federal partners to thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding this incident and ensure accountability for those who endanger public safety.” “Combatting violent crime remains a priority for the FBI. Along with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to address public safety threats and hold dangerous offenders accountable,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. According to the complaint, last Friday morning Houston approached a box truck as it stopped at a red light at the intersection of Buddy Holly Avenue and Broadway Street in downtown Lubbock. Houston attempted to open the driver’s door, but the driver was able to push Houston away from the vehicle. Houston then ran toward a nearby black SUV that was parked westbound on Broadway Street, next to the Lubbock County Courthouse and just to the north of the George H. Mahon Federal Building. As he ran toward the SUV, Houston pulled a knife from his pocket, opened the driver’s side door, and forcibly removed an adult female from the driver’s seat. At the time of the carjacking, the female was sitting in the driver’s seat of her vehicle and holding a newborn baby. Houston entered the SUV but was quickly confronted by a nearby security guard along with an off-duty officer with the Lubbock Police Department (LPD). Houston fled from the vehicle and ran around the west side of the Lubbock County Courthouse. Surveillance video from outside the federal building showed Houston approaching the SUV and removing the female from the vehicle before being confronted by law enforcement, some of which is depicted below: Houston continued running around the county courthouse and then fled southbound on Buddy Holly Avenue toward Broadway Street. A witness provided agents with a cellphone video of Houston then attempting to climb into the back of a moving pickup truck while being pursued by law enforcement, which is depicted below: The security guard observed that Houston was still holding the same knife he saw earlier. The security guard then fired shots at Houston, hitting him once in the leg. Houston was then taken into custody, and the knife was recovered along Houston’s running path. Multiple federal and state agencies responded to the incident and secured the scene. Within just a few hours, federal and state agents had interviewed witnesses, recovered videos of the incident, and presented a United States Magistrate Judge with proposed criminal charges, which were quickly approved. This investigation was a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Lubbock Police Department, the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lubbock Texas Anti-Gang Center. Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Rancourt is prosecuting the case. A complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Baltimore Man Convicted of Federal Drug Trafficking and Firearm Crimes

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – A federal jury convicted a Baltimore man in connection with drug trafficking and firearm crimes. The jury found Wayne Lee, 36, guilty of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person; possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the verdict with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD). According to evidence presented at trial, on July 10, 2023, a BPD detective, surveilling the 100 block of North Howard Street on a CitiWatch camera, observed Lee exiting a convenience store. As Lee left the store, an unknown man approached him and engaged in a hand-to-hand drug transaction involving drugs in exchange for money. After the transaction, law enforcement arrested Lee and recovered six orange-top vials of cocaine base from his right hand upon handcuffing him. Additionally, law enforcement recovered a loaded firearm with six rounds of ammunition, from Lee’s waistband. BPD officers also recovered nine more orange-topped vials of cocaine base, eight additional rounds of ammunition, a clear bag containing approximately eight grams of loose cocaine base, and $937. He possessed the drugs with the intent to distribute them and possessed the firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Lee is also prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a prior felony conviction. Lee faces a maximum of 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a prohibited person; a maximum of 20 years for possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances; and a minimum of five years and a maximum of life in prison, consecutive to any other term of imprisonment, for possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and BPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Simpkins who prosecuted the federal case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md . # # #


title: Repeat Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Violating the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jacob Thomas Britvec, 34, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to failing to update his registration as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2023, law enforcement officers received information that Britvec was no longer living at the address listed on his sex offender registry. Officers confirmed that Britvec was no longer at the address and obtained a warrant for his arrest. On March 20, 2024, officers arrested Britvec in Maryland. There is no record of Britvec reporting his interstate travel or registering as a sex offender in Maryland as required by SORNA. Britvec knew he was required to keep his information current as a result of his conviction for third-degree sexual assault on September 19, 2012, and for third-degree sexual assault and soliciting a minor via computer on March 24, 2016, all in Kanawha County Circuit Court. Britvec is scheduled to be sentenced on September 17, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, up to three years 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 West Virginia State Police and the United States Marshals Service (USMS). United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston 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. 2:26-cr-2. ###


title: Chunchula Man Sentenced To 96 Months

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – Christopher Benedum was sentenced to 96 months in federal prison for Distribution of Child Pornography. According to court documents, Benedum, 47, was using the social media application Discord to trade videos and images of child pornography with other users. Many of the images depicted children younger than ten years old. Some of the children were identified by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Benedum was indicted by a federal grand jury in December of 2025 as a part of “Operation Relentless Justice,” a nationwide Department of Justice initiative, focused on identifying and arresting child predators. After his period of incarceration, Benedum will be placed on a term of supervised release for fifteen years. He will be required to register as a sex offender and was ordered to pay restitution to the victims identified. U.S. Attorney Sean Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Invesetigation and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tandice Blackwood prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc/publications-resources


title: Homeland Security Task Force:  Naugatuck Man Found with 21 Kilos of Cocaine Pleads Guilty

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LESTER ARRINGTON, 34, of Naugatuck, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to a cocaine trafficking charge. According to court documents and statements made in court, as part of a Homeland Security Task Force investigation, on February 23, 2026, Connecticut State Police troopers stopped a 2024 Subaru Crosstrek, in which Arrington was a passenger, in Trumbull. A K9 sniff of the vehicle alerted for the presence of narcotics, and a subsequent search of the vehicle revealed approximately 21 kilograms of cocaine hidden in two compartments (“traps”) that were installed under each front seat. Arrington was arrested on state charges at that time. Arrington pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life. He is released on a $150,000 bond pending sentencing, which is scheduled for August 31. The driver of the Subaru Crosstrek, Reginald Rogers, pleaded guilty to the same charge last week . Arrington and Rogers have agreed to the forfeiture of the vehicle. 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 toward 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 New Haven comprises agents and officers from the FBI, DEA, HSI, ATF, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, U.S. Department of Labor, and Connecticut State Police, with prosecutions led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut. The Bridgeport, Danbury, Stamford, and Stratford Police Departments assisted this investigation. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justyn P. Stokely and Lauren C. Clark.


title: Rapid City Couple Indicted on Federal Drug Trafficking Charges

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a federal grand jury has indicted a Rapid City, South Dakota, man and woman for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. Misty Standing Bear, age 49, and Mason Big Crow, age 52, were indicted in May 2026. Both appeared last week before United States Magistrate Judge Mark W. Haigh and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years custody up to life in federal prison, a $10,000,000 fine, or both, at least five years up to life of supervised release, and a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered. Beginning at least in 2021, Standing Bear and Big Crow engaged in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl in and around the Pine Ridge Reservation and the Rapid City area. In a conspiracy spanning several years, the defendants traveled to other states to purchase thousands of counterfeit M/30 fentanyl pills and trafficked the fentanyl to South Dakota for further distribution. Investigators discovered Standing Bear and Big Crow actively engaged in fentanyl trafficking as recently as May 2026 when Standing Bear traveled to Colorado, at Big Crow’s direction, with the intent to purchase 1,000 counterfeit M/30 fentanyl pills. Big Crow and Standing Bear paid for at least a portion of the fentanyl they trafficked in South Dakota with tribal funds through fraudulent tribal assistant checks when Big Crow was the treasurer for the Oglala Sioux Tribe. “We look forward to proving these crimes in federal court and holding these two fentanyl traffickers accountable for their actions,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “Mason Big Crow, already alleged to have committed crimes against his community for personal gain, is now alleged to have conspired to distribute dangerous narcotics to that same community along with his wife Misty Standing Bear,” said FBI Minneapolis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson. “Fentanyl is a scourge on our communities. The FBI and our federal, state, and tribal partners will work tirelessly to track down and bring to justice anyone who risks the lives and safety of others in order to profit from its distribution.” The charge is merely an accusation, and Misty Standing Bear and Mason Big Crow are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The investigation is being conducted by the Badlands Safe Trails Task Force. The Task Force is comprised of agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward C. Tarbay is prosecuting the case. Standing Bear was released on bond pending trial. Big Crow was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.


title: Honduran Illegal Alien Indicted For Illegal Re-Entry of Removed Alien

body_text: NEW ORLEANS , LOUISIANA – OSCAR PAZ-MEJIA (“PAZ-MEJIA”) , age 33, a native of Honduras, was indicted for illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle. According to the indictment, on May 26, 2026, PAZ-MEJIA was found to have allegedly reentered the United States, after being previously deported on or about May 24, 2023. For this offense, PAZ-MEJIA faces up to ten years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. United States Attorney Courcelle reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. United States Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Katherine Kaufman of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution. 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: Porter woman admits to fraud, threats and assault after fraudulently receiving $435,000 new home

component: National Fraud Enforcement Division

body_text: HOUSTON – A 56-year-old local resident has pleaded guilty to wire fraud, fraud in connection with a major disaster, threatening to kill a witness and assaulting/impeding a law enforcement officer, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck. From 2019 through 2024, Sharai Poteet engaged in a scheme to fraudulently obtain disaster-relief housing assistance and additional federal benefits. During the investigation, she also threatened to kill a witness and assaulted a federal officer. Poteet submitted fraudulent loan applications claiming 11 people – including seven children and a disabled adult - were members of her household. As a result of the false claims, Poteet received assistance in the form of a custom seven-bedroom home. The funds used to construct the home were intended to help Hurricane Harvey victims through a Department of Housing and Urban Development program. The home Poteet received was the largest the program had built at that time. The investigation revealed Poteet submitted three fraudulent applications for disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for storms that occurred between 2021 and 2024. During the investigation, she threatened a whistleblower in an attempt to silence them. Poteet also assaulted a federal agent while attempting to flee during an operation intended to seize her cell phone. “Sharai Poteet exploited programs intended to assist vulnerable hurricane victims and used those funds for her own personal enrichment,” said Marck. “When individuals steal taxpayer-funded resources meant to help those in need, they are not just committing fraud – they are undermining the systems that keep families safe and communities stable.” “The taxpayer has no tolerance for those who steal from federal public aid – the sole goal of which is to help victims rebuild and move forward with their lives.” said Robert Lawler, HUD Office of Inspector General’s Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Investigations. “We will continue to work with our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office to aggressively pursue fraudsters who steal disaster grant funds to enrich themselves.” U.S. District Judge Kenneth Hoyt accepted the plea and has set sentencing for Sept. 21. At that time, Poteet faces up to 30 years in federal prison and a possible $1 million maximum fine. She was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing. HUD-OIG conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Shalimar Addy is prosecuting the case. The Department of Justice has created the National Fraud Enforcement Division . The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste and abuse within federal benefit programs.


title: Former Correctional Officer Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison for Conspiracy, Obstruction of Justice Charges Related to Unlawful Beating of Inmate

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: Jermaine Sturgis, 41, a former lieutenant at Eastern Correctional Institution (ECI) in Westover, Maryland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Baltimore, Maryland to 33 months in prison and one year of supervised release for his role in a conspiracy to obstruct an investigation into the assault of an inmate. Sturgis, of Laurel, Delaware, conspired with other correctional officers to cover up evidence that a fellow ECI officer unlawfully assaulted an inmate. A jury convicted Sturgis in December 2025 for conspiring to obstruct justice and destroy records and for making false statements to a federal officer. “When a correctional officer tampers with evidence or obstructs an investigation into fellow officers, it undercuts the public’s trust in the criminal justice system, thwarts lawful efforts to protect the civil rights of inmates, and threatens the safety of both inmates and other officers,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice is committed to holding accountable correctional officers who violate the laws they are sworn to uphold.” “This defendant obstructed a lawful investigation by helping conceal the truth about a violent assault. Our system depends on public officials carrying out their duties honestly and lawfully. Unfortunately, Mr. Sturgis failed to comply with this mandate so now he must pay the price,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “Our Office remains committed to prosecuting any individual who engages in such an abuse of trust. No one is above the law.” “Jermaine Sturgis not only lied about the assault on an inmate but directed a conspiracy to cover up that assault by deleting evidence. Sturgis focused on shielding himself from the consequences of his crimes at the expense of the inmate he swore to protect,” said Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “The FBI will vigorously investigate and hold accountable law enforcement officers who exploit their authority and violate the public’s trust.” According to trial testimony, on July 12, 2021, after one of Sturgis’s junior officers used excessive force against an inmate, Sturgis and other officers conspired to delete a video recording that showed the inmate’s injuries and other evidence that the officer’s use of force against the inmate had been unlawful. During the three-year investigation, Sturgis also made false statements to the state and federal investigators. Judge Maddox previously sentenced four former ECI correctional officers who had pleaded guilty for their involvement. Samuel Warren was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for assaulting the inmate and obstruction of justice; Neil Daubach was sentenced to 12 months and 1 day in federal prison for witness tampering and obstruction of justice; David Quillen was sentenced to two years of probation with six months home detention for conspiracy and obstruction of justice; and Daric Evans was sentenced to two years of probation with three months home detention for conspiracy. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Aubin for the District of Maryland and Trial Attorney Anita Channapati of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case. The Baltimore Division of the FBI, with assistance from the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, conducted the investigation.


title: California Man Admits Role in Attempted Robbery in Danbury

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ADAM IZA, 25, of California, pleaded guilty today in Bridgeport federal court to an offense related to his involvement in an attempted robbery of Bitcoin and a kidnapping in Danbury in August 2024. According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 25, 2024, Danbury Police arrested six Florida men who were involved in a violent carjacking of a Lamborghini Urus and the kidnapping of two occupants of the vehicle on that date. The investigation revealed that the kidnapping victims are the parents of an individual who participated in the theft of hundreds of millions of dollars in Bitcoin. In an attempt to steal some of that Bitcoin, Iza and others planned and coordinated the attempted robbery and ultimately the kidnapping. Iza’s alleged co-coconspirator, who had an altercation with the victims’ son in a Miami nightclub in July 2024, was in regular communication with certain of the kidnappers in the days before the crime, provided funding for it, and helped arrange the participants’ transportation and lodging. Iza communicated via cellphone and encrypted messaging applications with certain of the kidnappers, directed them as to the logistics of the scheme, and also provided funding. Iza pleaded guilty to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery (“Hobbs Act Robbery”), an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 12. Iza has been detained since September 24, 2024, after he was charged in the Central District of California with unrelated federal offenses . Six other individuals were charged with offenses related to the carjacking and kidnapping. All have pleaded guilty. This matter is being investigated by the FBI New Haven Violent Crimes Task Force, FBI Los Angeles, FBI St. Louis, and the Danbury Police Department. The FBI Task Force includes members from the Connecticut State Police and several local police departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen L. Peck and Daniel George. U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Central District of California, the Eastern District of Missouri, the District of Columbia, and the District of New Jersey, and the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of Danbury, for their assistance in the investigation and prosecution of this matter.