title: Labor Union Agrees to Pay $2 Million to Resolve Allegations of PPP Loan Fraud

body_text: BOSTON – The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 103 (IBEW Local 103), a Dorchester-based union and 501(c)(5) nonprofit organization, has agreed to pay $2,033,205 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by obtaining a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan for which it was not eligible. As part of the settlement , IBEW Local 103 admitted that, in April 2020, it applied for and received a first-round loan before it became eligible. In March 2021, when Congress amended the PPP to allow unions to obtain PPP loans, the union applied for and received a second loan. On its application for the second loan, the union certified that it was eligible for the second loan under the PPP regulations in effect at the time of the application, and that it previously received a loan and used all the loan proceeds before applying for the second loan. Had IBEW Local 103 applied for the first-round loan when it became eligible in March 2021, it would not have spent the proceeds from that first loan before it applied for the second loan. Congress enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) on March 29, 2020, to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain approved expenses through the PPP. Under the program, if borrowers complied with the program’s rules, the SBA forgave their loans. The SBA administered the PPP in two rounds – the first began in April 2020 and the second began in February 2021. Certain nonprofit organizations, including 501(c)(5) organizations like IBEW Local 103, were not eligible to receive loans from either round until March 2021, when Congress amended the PPP. To be eligible for a second loan, an entity, among other things, had to receive a first-round loan and exhaust the funds from that loan prior to applying for a second loan. The settlement credits IBEW Local 103 for cooperation under the Department of Justice’s Guidelines for Taking Voluntary Disclosure, Cooperation and Remediation into Account in False Claims Act Matters. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and the U.S. Small Business Administration made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. LaMacchia, Chief of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit handled the matter.


title: Stillwater Man Sentenced After Being Convicted of Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – A Stillwater man was sentenced today after being convicted by a federal jury for Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Flint Donavan Luster, 37, to 70 months imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release. According to evidence presented at trial, Luster was pulled over by a Tulsa County Sheriff’s deputy for a traffic violation in September 2023. The deputy discovered that the truck Luster was driving was stolen, and he was taken into custody. Upon searching the truck, deputies found a puzzle box that contained 437 grams of methamphetamine inside. During the trial, law enforcement testified to a previous search warrant conducted on Luster's home. During that search, law enforcement found evidence that supported that Luster was distributing drugs, such as scales, firearms, cash, and additional methamphetamine. Further evidence presented at trial showed that Luster was buying methamphetamine in Tulsa and distributing it in smaller areas. Luster will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Payne County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Bailey and Attila Bogdan prosecuted the case.


title: Franklin County Man Who Recorded Sexual Abuse of Toddler Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Wednesday sentenced a man who recorded pictures and videos of his sexual abuse of a one-year-old to 40 years in prison. “This is one of the worst cases of sexual abuse that I’ve seen in 25 years as a judge,” Judge Ross told William Burns before sentencing him. Judge Ross also ordered Burns to pay $146,500 to the victims who appear in the child sexual abuse material he possessed. Burns, 41, and Rachel Burns, 35, pleaded guilty in May to one count of conspiracy to produce child pornography and two counts of production of child pornography. William Burns also pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography and an additional count of production of child pornography. The Burns were arrested on July 30, 2023, by the University City Police Department. The couple thought they were meeting an 11-year-old girl, and planned to bring her home and sexually abuse her. Rachel Burns told investigators that her husband had child sexual abuse material on multiple electronic devices, leading to a court-approved search by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies then found electronic devices, as well as whips, numerous sexual devices and a 3-foot-7-inch-tall silicone sex doll made to resemble a prepubescent female in their home, their plea agreements say. Investigators also found a 2022 video showing the couple sexually abusing a one-year-old. They found other videos and images from 2022 and 2023 showing that victim, the couple admitted in their plea agreements. Investigators also found 13,954 image and video files depicting child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on a computer and digital storage devices. William Burns used a WhatsApp social media account to exchange CSAM with other WhatsApp users. In an earlier hearing on September 3, a woman who met William Burns when she was 18 and he was 33 said he initially presented himself as a “man of God” before physically and sexually abusing her. He showed her a video of the rape of an infant. She said he told her that he wanted to have children with her and then have sex with their children. Burns “has just left a trail of wreckage behind him in his life,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes said in court Wednesday. “He was dedicated to the sexual abuse of children.” Rachel Burns, 35, is scheduled to be sentenced on October 15. The U.S. Attorney’s office has agreed to recommend no more than 35 years in prison for her. The University City Police Department, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Jefferson County Man Charged with Illegally Possessing a Machinegun

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

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Jefferson Couty man has been charged with illegally possessing a machinegun, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona. A one-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges De’Corlion Keshaun Robinson, 24, of Bessemer, Alabama, with possession of a machinegun. On August 13, 2025, Robinson illegally possessed a Glock 10mm pistol equipped with a machinegun conversion device. The ATF investigated the case along with the Birmingham Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel S. McBrayer is prosecuting the case. An indictment contains only charges. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: United States Files Lawsuit Against San Bernardino County-Based Health Plan for Alleged False Claims to California’s Medicaid Program

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – The United States has filed a complaint under the False Claims Act in a lawsuit against Local Initiative Health Authority for Inland Empire Health Plan doing business as Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP), a California Local Initiative Health Plan based in Rancho Cucamonga. IEHP contracted with California’s Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to arrange for the provision of health care services to Riverside County and San Bernardino County residents under Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program. The government’s complaint alleges that IEHP violated the False Claims Act by making false statements to Medi-Cal and knowingly retaining overpayments. “Today’s lawsuit against IEHP shows our steadfast commitment to hold accountable insurers that brazenly compromise the Medicaid system,” said Acting United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “We will take every measure to restore integrity and accountability to the Medicaid system and ensure that patient care – not financial gain – is the primary focus of our health care system.” “The Medicaid program provides critical health care services,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brenna Jenny of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s complaint demonstrates our continued commitment to protect the integrity of the Medicaid program, and the taxpayer dollars that support it, from health insurers that knowingly seek to divert program funds for their own financial benefit.” Beginning in January 2014, Medi-Cal was expanded to cover the previously uninsured “Medi-Cal Expansion” population: adults between the ages of 19 and 64 without dependent children with annual incomes up to 133% of the federal poverty level. The federal government fully funded the expansion coverage for the first three years of the program. Under its contractual arrangement with DHCS, IEHP received funding to serve the Medi-Cal Expansion population. If IEHP did not spend at least 85% of those funds on “allowed medical expenses,” IEHP was required to pay back to the state the difference between 85% and what it actually spent. California, in turn, was required to return that amount to the federal government. The United States’ complaint alleges that IEHP developed schemes to misuse surplus Medi-Cal Expansion funding, falling into two broad categories: (1) sham incentive programs and (2) an extra-contractual retroactive rate increase. Through these schemes, IEHP misspent Medi-Cal Expansion funding for impermissible purposes, including spending on administrative expenses, other patient populations, and simply giving away federal funding in exchange for no value in return. The complaint further alleges that IEHP was motivated by a desire to conserve its other funding, thus enriching itself. The complaint alleges that, to make the spending appear legitimate, IEHP deceived the state by making false statements—which it knew would be relayed to the federal government—about the nature, timing, and purpose of its payments to providers. For example, IEHP internally admitted it was giving providers “free money” but asserted to DHCS that the payments were part of a metric-based incentive program rewarding providers with good performance. IEHP also disguised payments for consultants and technology services as incentive payments by funneling those payments through providers and backdated spending to fall during earlier time periods. According to the United States’ complaint, those payments allegedly were not “allowed medical expenses” permissible under the contract between DHCS and IEHP. The United States’ pursuit of this lawsuit illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 800 HHS TIPS (800-447-8477). This case is being handled by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, in coordination with the California Department of Justice and with valuable assistance from HHS-OIG and DHCS. The United States is represented in this matter by Assistant United States Attorneys S. Desmond Jui and Jack D. Ross of the Civil Division’s Civil Fraud Section and Justice Department Fraud Section Trial Attorney Mary Beth Hickcox-Howard. The claims asserted in the complaint are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.


title: United States Files Suit Against California-Based Health Plan for Alleged False Claims to California’s Medicaid Program

component: Civil Division

body_text: The United States has filed a complaint under the False Claims Act in a lawsuit against Local Initiative Health Authority for Inland Empire Health Plan doing business as Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP), a California Local Initiative Health Plan based in Rancho Cucamonga, California. IEHP contracted with California’s Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to arrange for the provision of health care services to Riverside County and San Bernardino County residents under Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program. The government’s complaint alleges that IEHP violated the False Claims Act by making false statements to Medi-Cal and knowingly retaining overpayments. “The Medicaid program provides critical health care services,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brenna Jenny of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s complaint demonstrates our continued commitment to protect the integrity of the Medicaid program, and the taxpayer dollars that support it, from health insurers that knowingly seek to divert program funds for their own financial benefit.” “Today’s lawsuit against IEHP shows our steadfast commitment to hold accountable insurers that brazenly compromise the Medicaid system,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “We will take every measure to restore integrity and accountability to the Medicaid system and ensure that patient care – not financial gain – is the primary focus of our health care system.” Beginning in January 2014, Medi-Cal was expanded to cover the previously uninsured “Medi-Cal Expansion” population: adults between the ages of 19 and 64 without dependent children with annual incomes up to 133% of the federal poverty level. The federal government fully funded the expansion coverage for the first three years of the program. Under its contractual arrangement with DHCS, IEHP received funding to serve the Medi-Cal Expansion population. If IEHP did not spend at least 85% of those funds on “allowed medical expenses,” IEHP was required to pay back to the state the difference between 85% and what it actually spent. California, in turn, was required to return that amount to the federal government. The United States’ complaint alleges that IEHP developed schemes to misuse surplus Medi-Cal Expansion funding, falling into two broad categories: (1) sham incentive programs and (2) an extra-contractual retroactive rate increase. Through these schemes, IEHP misspent Medi-Cal Expansion funding for impermissible purposes, including spending on administrative expenses, other patient populations, and simply giving away federal funding in exchange for no value in return. The complaint further alleges that IEHP was motivated by a desire to conserve its other funding, thus enriching itself. The complaint alleges that, to make the spending appear legitimate, IEHP deceived the state by making false statements — which it knew would be relayed to the federal government — about the nature, timing, and purpose of its payments to providers. For example, IEHP internally admitted it was giving providers “free money” but asserted to DHCS that the payments were part of a metric-based incentive program rewarding providers with good performance. IEHP also disguised payments for consultants and technology services as incentive payments by funneling those payments through providers and backdated spending to fall during earlier time periods. According to the United States’ complaint, those payments allegedly were not “allowed medical expenses” permissible under the contract between DHCS and IEHP. The United States’ pursuit of this lawsuit illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 800‑HHS‑TIPS (800-447-8477). This case is being handled by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, in coordination with the California Department of Justice and with valuable assistance from HHS-OIG and DHCS. The United States is represented in this matter by Fraud Section Trial Attorney Mary Beth Hickcox-Howard and Assistant U.S. Attorneys S. Desmond Jui and Jack D. Ross for the Central District of California. The claims asserted in the complaint are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.


title: Owner of Buckhead Brothel Sentenced to Federal Prison

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ATLANTA - Jamika Weese, a/k/a Jae, was sentenced to federal prison for operating a brothel out of an Atlanta apartment from which she transported women to other states for commercial sex. Weese also fraudulently obtained nearly $70,000 worth of federal loans intended to assist legitimate businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Weese ran a prostitution ring, trafficked women, and lied to collect tens of thousands of dollars in federal loans,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Her conviction and sentence demonstrate that criminals who exploit vulnerable victims and rip off the government will be held accountable for their crimes.” “This case represents why sex trafficking is such a high priority matter for the FBI and our law enforcement partners,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “Weese repeatedly took advantage of vulnerable victims, first in her sex trafficking operation, then as she fraudulently obtained funds designed to help those suffering during the pandemic. This case should resonate with those who might consider this reprehensible criminal conduct acceptable.” “This sentencing underscores the commitment of Homeland Security Investigations to dismantling criminal networks that exploit vulnerable individuals for financial gain," said Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama Steven N. Schrank. “Through collaborative efforts with our law enforcement partners, we were able to bring Ms. Weese to justice, ensuring accountability for her actions and protection for those she victimized. HSI will continue to prioritize investigations that target exploitation and fraud schemes that harm our communities and undermine public trust.” According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Before the Super Bowl in February 2019, the Metro Atlanta Child Exploitation Task Force and other law enforcement officers received reports that Weese was operating a commercial sex trafficking ring in the metro Atlanta area. The officers were told that Weese physically abused and even threatened at gunpoint some of the women who she forced to engage in sex work. On June 28, 2019, the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations coordinated with the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office to conduct an undercover operation at a Buckhead apartment where Weese was operating a brothel. Law enforcement searched the apartment and seized evidence that confirmed Weese posted commercial sex advertisements online, directed women to receive clients at the apartment, and imposed a quota for their earnings, more than half of which Weese took for herself. From 2017 through 2019, Weese repeatedly arranged for the women to travel to other states (including Arizona, Colorado, South Carolina, Texas, and Florida) to engage in prostitution for her own financial benefit. Weese was arrested by local authorities but released the same day. Later, the FBI learned that Weese fraudulently obtained a $48,900 Economic Injury and Disaster Loan and $20,000 Paycheck Protection Program loan in 2020 and 2021 after misrepresenting that she had earned her income from a cosmetics company. Weese was indicted and rearrested in 2023. Weese, 42, of Atlanta, Ga., has been sentenced to five years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $69,000 and to register as a sex offender. On May 14, 2024, Wease pleaded guilty to one count of transporting an individual interstate for the purpose of prosecution and one count of wire fraud. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office and Gwinnett County Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Laurel B. Milam and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Irina Khasin prosecuted the case. For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga .


title: Former Waterbury Resident Sentenced to 41 Months in Federal Prison for Multiple Fraud Schemes

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MARLENIN VITO, 45, formerly of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to 41 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for multiple fraud schemes. According to court documents and statements made in court, Vito was employed as Medicaid Coordinator at an assisted living facility (“Company A”) located in Stamford. Vito’s responsibilities included assisting the residents in applying for nursing home level Medicaid reimbursements, monitoring the residents’ patient trust accounts, and ensuring compliance with Medicaid regulations. She was also responsible for keeping journal entries for the residents’ trust accounts and to credit their accounts when funds were received, and for debiting patient accounts when payments were made on behalf of the residents or when cash was given to residents for incidental expenses. Between approximately December 2019 and May 2021, Vito defrauded Company A and its residents by generating checks from Company A’s system, forging a fellow employee’s signature on the checks, negotiating the fraudulent checks purportedly to give the cash proceeds to certain residents, and keeping the cash for her own use. Vito then made false entries into Company A’s accounting ledger by debiting the fraudulently obtained cash from the residents’ respective trust accounts. Many of the residents were not healthy enough or mentally capable of tracking their own expenses or monitoring the balances of their own trust accounts. In certain instances, Vito cancelled residents’ supplemental health insurance coverage, but continued to deduct funds from the trust accounts and took the funds for herself. Also, when certain residents’ trust accounts were credited with Economic Impact Payments (COVID-19 stimulus payments), Vito took the funds for herself and then debited the residents’ accounts at a rate of approximately $60 a day until the stimulus funds were depleted. During the scheme, Vito fraudulently negotiated approximately 500 checks, stealing approximately $310,820. When she was confronted by family members of certain residents, Vito created and provided to those family members false account statements that misrepresented the balances in the residents’ trust accounts. After she was terminated by Company A, Vito obtained employment as a bookkeeper and scheduler at an alarm company (“Company B”) located in White Plains, New York. Vito stole from the company by making false representations about overtime for herself and her daughter, and by using company funds to order more than $10,000 worth of products to be delivered to her Waterbury residence. Company B was defrauded of approximately $23,558 through these schemes. After she was terminated by Company B, Vito was employed as a bookkeeper at a law firm in Hartford (“Company C”). Vito took fraudulently generated checks drawn on Company C’s bank account and issued as “Pay to the Order of ‘Petty Cash, ’” forged the signature of an authorized employee on the checks, cashed the checks, and kept the funds for herself. She then recorded the fraudulently negotiated checks in Company C’s books and records as “Petty Cash.” Vito stole approximately $27,179 from Company C. Judge Oliver ordered Vito to pay full restitution. On June 13, 2025, Vito pleaded guilty to wire fraud. Vito, who is released on a $25,000 bond and residing in the Bronx, New York, is required to report to prison on October 17. Vito has pending state cases in New York, where it is alleged that she embezzled approximately $100,000 from a small business in Brewster, New York, and in Connecticut, where she is alleged to stolen from an employer in Ridgefield. This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Stamford Police Department, Hartford Police Department, Ridgefield Police Department, and the Putnam County (N.Y.) Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael S. McGarry and Nathan J. Guevremont.


title: Portland Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Portland man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen sentenced Mohamud Abdullahi , 32, to 75 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Abdullahi pleaded guilty on August 19, 2024. According to court records, on November 23, 2023, the Portland Police Department received reports of shots fired near the intersection of Commercial and Cross streets. A caller described the suspect pulling a firearm from his waistband and firing two shots into the air before getting into a vehicle, and also described the vehicle. The descriptions were later confirmed by security camera footage from a nearby building. Responding officers recovered two spent 9mm shell casings from the scene, and the vehicle was intercepted by South Portland police after it crossed the bridge into South Portland. After a brief attempt to flee, Abdullahi was arrested. The firearm used in the shooting was recovered the next day from the front lawn of a residence near where the vehicle was stopped. Abdullahi was precluded from possessing firearms because of his prior convictions for assault and aggravated criminal trespass in 2017, and unlawful trafficking of scheduled drugs in 2011. The FBI, Portland Police Department, and South Portland Police Department investigated the case. Project Safe Neighborhoods : 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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psn . ###


title: Lake Station Man Sentenced to 90 Months in Prison

body_text: HAMMOND- Johnny A. Bangs, 46 years old, of Lake Station, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor. Bangs was sentenced to 90 months in prison followed by 24 months of supervised release. According to documents in the case, in the summer of 2023, Bangs sold cocaine on two separate occasions. On June 14, 2023, during the execution of a search warrant at his residence located in Lake Station, law enforcement recovered cocaine, drug proceeds, 43 long-barrel firearms (rifles and shotguns), 7 handguns, and ammunition. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Porter County Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Toth. 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.


title: Two Florida Men Charged for $34.8M Fraud Scheme Targeting Medicare Beneficiaries

component: Criminal Division

body_text: An indictment was unsealed Friday charging two Florida men for their roles in a scheme to submit approximately $34.8 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary products. As part of the scheme, the defendants and their co-conspirators targeted thousands of Medicare beneficiaries and, through deceptive telemarketing, persuaded them to accept medical equipment that they did not need, such as orthotic braces and continuous glucose monitors. “The defendants are alleged to have perpetuated a scheme that involved the submission of $34.8 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary medical equipment,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “That money, which came from American taxpayers, was intended to benefit Americans in need of medical care. Friday’s arrests send a clear message to those who would defraud our healthcare system: the public fisc is not your private purse, and we will aggressively prosecute those that steal from benefit programs.” “Greed-fueled fraud schemes, like billing for medically unnecessary medical equipment, are a threat to both taxpayer-funded health care programs and patients alike,” stated Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Working shoulder to shoulder with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to aggressively investigate such allegations to hold fraudsters fully accountable.” “The harm done by these actors cannot be overstated,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division, “The FBI will continue to pursue those who seek to damage our healthcare system and defraud everyday Americans seeking aid." According to court documents, Kenneth Charles Kessler III, 42, of Miami-Dade County, Florida, and Michael Andrew Gomez, 42, of Broward County, Florida, are charged in connection with their ownership and operation of seven durable medical equipment (DME) supply companies based in Florida. Kessler and Gomez are accused of paying illegal kickbacks and bribes to purported marketing companies that targeted thousands of Medicare beneficiaries with deceptive and aggressive telemarketing campaigns. The indictment alleges that these marketing companies obtained the beneficiaries’ personally identifiable information and arranged for purported telemedicine companies to generate doctors’ orders for unnecessary medical equipment. Kessler and Gomez allegedly used these doctors’ orders to submit false and fraudulent claims to Medicare through their network of DME companies. Kessler and Gomez are both charged with conspiracy to commit health care and wire fraud, two counts of health care fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and to offer and pay health care kickbacks, and two counts of offering and paying kickbacks in connection with a federal health care program. If convicted, Kessler and Gomez each face up to 65 years in prison. A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General and the FBI are investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Aisha Schafer-Hylton and Owen Dunn of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit . An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Carver Man Charged in Animal Crushing Case

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – Bryan Wesley Edison, age 32, has been federally indicted with sixteen counts of Animal Crushing, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. Edison created hundreds of videos showing animals being tortured, drowned, dismembered, disemboweled, attacked, and killed, which he published and sold on his pay-per-view YouTube channels. Edison made his initial appearance in federal court today. “Animal crushing is not only sickening, it is a federal crime,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “When someone takes pleasure in the torture of defenseless animals, it signals a deeper danger to our community. Especially in these troubled times, we will not allow these warning signs to go unchecked.” In 2019, President Trump overhauled and expanded the “Crush Video Statute” with the Preventing Animal Cruelty and Torture Act (“PACT Act”) to make it unlawful for any person to purposely engage in animal “crushing,” that is, purposely crushing, burning, drowning, suffocating, impaling, or otherwise subjecting to serious bodily injury living mammals, birds, reptiles, or amphibians. This act recognized that individuals who intentionally torture and kill animals pose a unique danger to others and to society as a whole. Since 2022, Bryan Edison, of Carver, Minnesota, operated pay-per-view YouTube Channels that depicted animals being crushed and tortured for Edison and his viewers’ sadistic enjoyment. Edison posted nearly 350 animal crush videos on his YouTube channels. Edison created and then posted videos in which he purposefully placed live animals into artificial enclosures such as a playpen, a bathtub, and a shower. These animals included birds, hamsters, mice, guinea pigs, rabbits, lizards and other large live reptiles, dogs, and snapping turtles. Edison would sometimes costume the animals or set up a “scenario” in which the torture would occur. Edison would then create crush videos in which the animals suffered prolonged torture and death through impalement, crushing, drowning, suffocating, and being skinned and dismembered alive by the larger animals. Edison allowed the public to freely access some videos. Other videos required a subscription by the user. Edison set up different “membership” levels offered for $0.99, $9.99, $44.99, or $99.99 per month, with the latter being granted access to “custom” videos commissioned by the member. Edison advertised that the videos with the most graphic torture were behind the membership paywalls. Edison developed logos for his channels and advertised merchandise offered for sale bearing those logos. Edison attempted to drive viewers to his YouTube pages with “clickbait” that emphasized the torture aspects of the videos, using titles and descriptors such as “slow death,” “shred,” “cracks head open,” “screaming,” “tear apart,” “kills mouse brutally,” and “THAT REALLY HURTS.” Edison narrated many of the videos he created. His commentary included, “Shredder, do your worst,” “the poor black bunny is losing air by the second,” “there’s nothing I can do to save you,” “the squeal of displeasure, now the panic sets in,” and “gurgling screams.” Edison’s animal crush channels, including “Prince’s Pet Planet” and “Prince’s Chomp Squad,” were ultimately removed by YouTube for multiple and severe violations of YouTube’s policy on violence. “Animal crushing is an appalling abuse of power over vulnerable creatures,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “The exercise of violence over the defenseless is never acceptable. The FBI stands with our law enforcement partners to rigorously enforce the laws that prevent and punish such heinous acts of cruelty.” This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew D. Evans is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Dominican National Sentenced to a Decade in Prison for Fentanyl Distribution Conspiracy

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Dominican national residing in the Bronx, N.Y., was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in operating a fentanyl distribution hub in the Bronx that sent fentanyl laced with xylazine, a horse tranquilizer, throughout Massachusetts, Vermont and New York. Jairo Collazo, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In May 2025 , Collazo pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, involving 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Collazo was charged by criminal complaint in April 2024 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2024. Collazo, and others, operated a fentanyl distribution hub out of a basement in the Bronx, from which he distributed fentanyl to destinations including Boston, Mass.; Fitchburg, Mass.; Springfield, Mass.; Syracuse, N.Y.; and the State of Vermont. Collazo and his coconspirators, whom he called “employees,” used the basement to package fentanyl into glassine wax paper bags for distribution. Collazo traveled to Massachusetts on two occasions, in December 2023 and January 2024, to distribute fentanyl to a witness working with law enforcement. On April 12, 2024, during a search of the Bronx basement, fentanyl packaged for distribution, materials used for cutting fentanyl with other substances and bottles of xylazine were recovered. Collazo used xylazine to cut the fentanyl and offered to sell it to the cooperating witness. More than two kilograms of fentanyl was seized from Collazo. According to court records, in 2021, Collazo pleaded guilty in New York Supreme Criminal Court to criminal possession of a controlled substance in the first degree (heroin) and was sentenced to two years in state prison. Collazo was deported to the Dominican Republic and returned. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Fitchburg Police Department and the Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.


title: Boston Man Charged with Loan and Check Fraud

body_text: BOSTON – A Boston man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly defrauding the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and stealing a U.S. Treasury tax refund check as well as a check from a New York law firm. Lonnie Smith-Matthews, 33, was indicted on two counts of wire fraud; one count of theft of government funds; two counts of bank fraud; and two counts of money laundering. In June 2025 , Smith-Matthews was arrested and charged by criminal complaint as part of a federal crackdown on stolen U.S. Treasury checks. He will be arraigned in federal court in Boston at a later date. According to the indictment, in 2021, Smith-Matthews fraudulently obtained two PPP loans by falsely claiming business income of $128,000, when he actually made less than half that amount and did not actually have a business. Additionally, in 2024, Smith-Matthews allegedly obtained and deposited a U.S. Treasury tax refund check for $150,000 that had been altered and forged to be payable to a defunct clothing company that Smith-Matthews owned. In fact, the U.S. Treasury check had been issued to a married couple in North Carolina as a refund on their 2023 income taxes. After depositing the check, Smith-Matthews allegedly laundered the proceeds using cashier’s checks made payable to a purported roofing company. It is further alleged that later in 2024, Smith-Matthews obtained and deposited a $232,000 check stolen from a New York firm. Like the U.S. Treasury check, the law firm check had allegedly been altered and forged to be payable to Smith-Matthews’ defunct company. The charge of theft of government funds provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three of supervised release and a fine of $500,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; Michael Carpenter, Special Agent in charge of the U.S. Dept. of Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Northeast Field Division; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil, Deputy Chief of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.


title: Man Sentenced to More than Six and a Half Years in Prison for ATM Card-Skimming Fraud

body_text: CHICAGO — A man has been sentenced to more than six and a half years in federal prison for installing card-skimming devices on ATMs in Chicago and New Jersey to steal debit card numbers and PINs from unsuspecting victims. FLORIN NICOLAE TARTA and two others installed the devices on numerous Bank of America ATMs. The devices consisted of a metallic plate on which a card reader, memory chip, and battery had been affixed. Once inserted into the ATM, the device could capture financial account information from users’ cards. Tarta and the co-schemers also placed a pinhole camera near the ATM’s keypad to record ATM users inputting their PINs. Several days after the devices were installed, Tarta and the others removed them from the ATMs and used a computer to convert the captured data to magnetic strips on the back of gift cards. The defendants then used the counterfeit gift cards to withdraw cash at various banks. Losses from the unauthorized transactions totaled $177,280. The defendants’ scheme came to end in March 2024 when law enforcement located the hidden camera on an ATM in Westfield, N.J. Tarta was arrested when he returned to the ATM. A jury in U.S. District Court in Chicago earlier this year convicted Tarta, 40, of Satu Mare, Romania, on bank fraud, access device fraud, and aggravated identity theft charges. On Sept. 10, 2025, U.S. District Judge LaShonda A. Hunt sentenced Tarta to six years and 9 months in federal prison. Two co-defendants pleaded guilty and were previously sentenced in the case. LEONID GRIGORE SMETANCA, 45, of Satu Mare, Romania, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison, while RADU FARCAS, 42, of London, England, was sentenced to two and a half years. The sentences were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the Westfield, N.J. Police Department. “Defendant repeatedly engaged in criminal conduct that imposes an enormous toll on the U.S. economy,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Hayes argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum in Tarta’s case. “Card skimming is a widespread problem plaguing financial institutions and consumers.”


title: Honduran National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry

body_text: BOSTON – A Honduran national residing in Fall River, Mass., pleaded guilty today to unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation. Denis Aguirre-Murillo, 40, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Nov. 12, 2025. The defendant was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2025. Aguirre-Murillo has been deported from the United States to Honduras on three occasions, in July 2007, March 2016 and January 2021. Sometime after his January 2021 removal, Aguirre-Murillo unlawfully re-entered the United States at an unknown time and place. Immigration authorities became aware that Aguirre-Murillo was unlawfully present in the United States on May 4, 2024, when he was arrested under an alias in Fall River for charges that included intimidation and rape. The rape charge was later amended to an indecent assault and battery charge. Immigration authorities lodged a detainer for Aguirre-Murillo. However, on Feb. 19, 2025, Aguirre-Murillo was released from local custody without notification. He was later located and taken into immigration custody on May 29, 2025. The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie A. Queenin of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Carjacker Charged with Carjacking Spree that Killed Two Women Makes Initial Appearance in Federal Court, Ordered Detained

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – Edward Tiki Arrington, 45, made his initial appearance in federal court today, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. Arrington was charged by complaint on September 5, 2025, with one count of carjacking and one count of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. On September 4, 2025, Arrington engaged in a carjacking and shooting crime spree, targeting at least eight victims. Arrington crashed his carjacked vehicle, killing two young women and seriously injuring a child. Arrington was hospitalized and has now been transferred into federal custody. He was ordered detained today pending a detention hearing on Monday, September 22, 2025. “A little over two weeks ago, a career criminal took the lives of two women and severely injured a child,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “That is loss devastating and it is permanent. I wish we could do more, but the truth is we can never make it right. What we can and will do is ensure that Arrington is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” According to the complaint, around 8 am on September 4, 2025, 911 calls began to come in about a man with a gun around 334 Lake Street East in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Edward Tiki Arrington, also known as Troy Mike Payton, was the gunman. Arrington was driving erratically towards Lake Street that morning. He was speeding, swerving into oncoming traffic, and driving on the sidewalk. Arrington drove his red SUV through a red light and crashed into another car, a white Infiniti SUV. Arrington got out of his SUV and ran towards the other car, pointing a gun at the driver. Arrington tried to open the door of the white Infiniti but the driver accelerated away and was able to get away from Arrington. Arrington then ran towards another car, a black Volkswagen Passat. Again, Arrington brandished the firearm at the driver. Arrington carjacked the driver—he ordered the driver out of her car at gunpoint, got into the black Passat, and drove the car against traffic. Arrington drove the black Passat back to his red SUV. Arrington tried to remove two dogs from his red SUV. He was eventually able to get the dogs into the carjacked Volkswagen Passat. As this was happening, a black Jeep approached the intersection. Arrington pointed his gun at this third victim, the driver of the black Jeep. The driver ducked and she was able to accelerate away. Arrington then ran up to a fourth victim, a woman walking on foot on Lake Street. Arrington ran up to the pedestrian and pointed his gun at her. The pedestrian put her hands up. Arrington grabbed her hands and demanded to know where her guns were. The pedestrian said she didn’t have a gun. Arrington released her and ran back to the stolen black Passat. As Arrington began to drive away in the black Passat, he fired a shot out of the vehicle. He appeared to be shooting at a work van that was passing by the black Passat. Arrington left the intersection around 8:10 am and drove to North Minneapolis. The Minneapolis Police Department sent out a city-wide notice on the black Volkswagen Passat used in a shots-fired call. MPD officers located Arrington driving the carjacked black Passat in North Minneapolis. Officers attempted to pull Arrington over but he fled, driving towards downtown Minneapolis. Recognizing the immediate threat to public safety and human life, officers followed. Arrington fled through the intersection of Penn Avenue and Olson Memorial Boulevard. He sped through the intersection, running a red light without stopping. As he did so, Arrington crashed at full speed into a blue Ford Focus sedan, which was driving lawfully through the intersection. In crashing his carjacked vehicle into the blue sedan, Arrington killed two women in their 20s and seriously injured a six-year-old child in the back seat; the child suffered bilateral femur fractures and a traumatic brain injury. One of the women killed was the child’s mother. Arrington has a long and extensive criminal history that includes state convictions for assault and firearms offenses and a 2009 federal conviction for possession with intent to distribute cocaine. “This violent suspect had an extensive criminal history and showed a complete disregard for the value of human life,” said Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara. “His reckless and violent actions claimed the lives of innocent people and put countless others at risk. We are grateful for the partnership with the United States Attorney’s Office as we all work to ensure that he is held fully accountable and that justice is pursued for the victims and their families to the fullest extent of the law.” “Two innocent young women died yesterday, and a young child was hospitalized, due to the reckless and senseless actions of Edward Tiki Arrington, aka Troy Mike Payton,” said FBI Minneapolis Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston, Sr. “Violent carjackings have permeated Minneapolis for far too long; these federal charges represent the commitment by the FBI, our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to reduce violent crime in Minnesota. The FBI will bring every resource available to ensure a safe community where its residents can thrive. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families.” These cases result from an investigation conducted by the Minneapolis Police Department, the Minnesota State Patrol and the FBI. The U.S. Attorney’s Office extends its profound sympathies to the families of the decedents in this case, and to all the victims. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is grateful for the cooperation with its federal, state, and local partners, and thanks the Minneapolis Police Department, the Minnesota State Patrol, and the FBI for their hard work in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Green is prosecuting the case. A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Thomas Encil Blake Sentenced To 228 Months in Prison For  Receiving And Producing Child Pornography with Toddlers

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – Thomas Encil Blake, age 28, of Brownstown, Michigan, was sentenced today to 228 months in prison by Judge Laurie J. Michelson for production of child pornography and receipt of child pornography, United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon announced today. Blake received 60 months in prison for receipt of child pornography, which will be served concurrent to his 228-month sentence for producing child pornography with a six-year-old. Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Matthew Stentz, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations-Detroit. Local law enforcement became aware of Blake in 2023 after the father of a 13-year-old girl found nude images of an adult man on his daughter’s phone. Local law enforcement reported the incident to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), who identified Blake as living in Southeast Michigan. In February 2024, HSI executed a search warrant at Blake’s residence and discovered numerous devices containing over 8,000 images and over 6,000 videos of child pornography, including files depicting infants, toddlers, and bestiality. When interviewed by HSI, Blake admitted to downloading and sharing child pornography via social messaging applications. Blake frequently babysat for individuals close to him, including children who were between approximately 5 and 6 years old. HSI later found videos and images on Blake’s iPhone that depicted Blake committing sex acts over and on top of the children while they slept. “This wicked man produced the vilest materials. He committed appalling crimes against little children that were entrusted to his care. And then he was ensnared by the work of his hands. We are thankful for the justice that was delivered through this court,” U.S. Attorney Gorgon said. “We will hold sexual predators accountable for the torment they inflict on innocent children,” said ICE HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Stentz. “Our HSI special agents will continue to investigate crimes of exploitation in collaboration with our law enforcement partners. We are working everyday toward justice for the victims and survivors of these crimes wherever they may be.” This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Zachary Zurek and Ann Nee. Restitution matters are being handled by Jessica Nathan.


title: Tohono O’odham Man Indicted on Multiple Charges Involving Minor Victim

component: USAO - Arizona

body_text: TUCSON, Ariz. – Last week, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned a 4-count indictment against Allman Rivas, 36, of Menagers Dam, located on the Tohono O’odham Nation, for Attempted Coercion and Enticement, Transfer of Obscene Material to Minors, and Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Minor by Force, Fraud, or Coercion, and Sexual Extortion. Pursuant to the complaint and indictment filed in this case, between June 26, 2025, and July 19, 2025, Rivas sent multiple Facebook messages to a minor victim to entice her to go to his residence for sexual encounters. During this period, Rivas also sent the minor victim photographs of his genitals. At one point, Rivas offered to pay back a small loan to the minor victim if the minor victim engaged in oral sex. Finally, when the victim refused to engage in sexual acts with Rivas, Rivas threatened the minor victim to coerce them to engage in sexual contact or sexual intercourse. Rivas is an enrolled member of the Tohono O’odham Indian Nation. A conviction for Attempted Coercion and Enticement carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison with a maximum term of life. A conviction for Transfer of Obscene Material to Minors carries a maximum term of 10 years in prison, and a conviction for Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Minor by Force, Fraud, or Coercion carries a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison with a maximum term of life. Finally, a conviction for Sexual Extortion carries a term of imprisonment of between 5 and 15 years. Each conviction also carries a maximum fine of $250,000. “Protecting our youth from sexual offenders is one of the highest priorities of this office,” said United States Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “These crimes are among the most serious we prosecute because they target the most vulnerable members of our community. Working closely with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute those who attempt to exploit children.” "Safeguarding all children from violence, coercion and exploitation is a top priority for the FBI," said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Heith Janke. "The FBI will continue to work with our federal, state, local, tribal, and law enforcement partners to identify, prioritize and investigate anyone who seeks to harm the most vulnerable among us." The Tohono O’odham Police Department and the FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson office conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Nathaniel J. Walters and Alessandra C. Bermudez, District of Arizona, Tucson, are handling the prosecution. An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. CASE NUMBER: CR-25-03845-RM (EJM) RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-150_Rivas # # # For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.


title: Illegal alien sex offender sentenced for unlawfully reentering the country

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 34-year-old man from Puebla, Mexico, has been ordered to federal prison for illegally reentering the United States after removal, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Fidel Ramirez-Mancilla pleaded guilty June 27. U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera has now ordered Ramirez-Mancilla to serve 15 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. “Operation Take Back America means not only preventing criminals like Mr. Ramirez-Mancilla from ever entering our country, but also finding, arresting, and removing those predators that have slipped into our country in previous years,” said Ganjei. “Thanks to the efforts of our law enforcement partners, we now have one less dangerous sex offender walking American streets.” According to court records, Ramirez-Mancilla has a conviction for the aggravated felony of assault with the intent to commit mayhem, rape, sodomy or oral copulation. He was previously removed from the United States in December 2011 with no permission to return. However, authorities encountered him again May 19 north of the Rio Grande. He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Angel Castro prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood .


title: Mosque Arsonist Pleads Guilty in Federal Court

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – Jackie Rahm Little, age 38, pled guilty today to one count of arson and one count of damage to religious property, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. In April 2023, Little set fire to the Masjid Al-Rahma Mosque in Bloomington, Minnesota, and the Masjid Omar Islamic Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. “When someone sets fire to a house of worship, it is not only a federal crime, it is an attack on the heart of a community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Minnesota has endured too many assaults on our sacred spaces. Such hatred and destruction will always be met with federal prosecution as we continue to defend everyone’s right to worship in safety and peace.” On April 24, 2023, Little traveled to the Masjid Al-Rahma Mosque (also known as the Mercy Islamic Center) in Bloomington, Minnesota, a public place of worship. Little carried with him a container of gasoline or other ignitable liquid, and after he entered the Mosque, used it to set fire to the Mosque’s third floor hallway and stairwell. The Mosque had to be evacuated, including the evacuation of children who were attending daycare. The resulting damage to the Mosque totaled more than $378,000. The day prior, on April 23, 2023, Little started a fire in the bathroom of the Masjid Omar Islamic Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, also a public place of worship. Little lit a cardboard box on fire inside of a bathroom stall and intended to leave it there for the rest of the building to ignite. Fortunately, Little was interrupted by an employee and the defendant fled leaving partially burned cardboard and a gas cannister behind. Little pled guilty today, before District Judge Ann D. Montgomery. He will be sentenced at a later date. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan B. Gilead is prosecuting the case.


title: Penn Hills Man Who Crashed Vehicle into FBI Security Gate Charged with Assault with a Deadly Weapon and Damaging Government Property

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Donald Phillip Henson, 46, of Penn Hills, Pennsylvania, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating, or interfering with a governmental officer or employee and damaging government property, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Henson was apprehended and arrested this morning after he intentionally drove his vehicle into a security gate next to a manned security booth outside of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Pittsburgh Field Office and then fled on foot. “Today, we commend the Federal Bureau of Investigation and our law enforcement partners for their outstanding work in quickly apprehending Donald Henson following his violent and destructive assault this morning,” said Acting United States Attorney Rivetti. “Our office remains vigilant and stands in solidarity with our law enforcement colleagues in response to any attack—whether to their persons or to their property.” According to the affidavit filed in support of the complaint, at 2:40 a.m. on September 17, 2025, Henson rammed his vehicle into a security gate protecting the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office complex, directly next to a security booth that is staffed 24 hours a day. Following the crash, Henson exited the vehicle and walked to the driver’s side rear door, from which he retrieved an American flag that he then placed on the damaged gate. Henson then departed the area, with the incident having been captured on FBI and several area businesses’ security camera footage. Upon Henson’s apprehension by law enforcement, he admitted to the FBI that he knew that there was a guard in the security booth at the time he drove his vehicle into the gate and that he rammed the security gate to “make a statement.” He also stated “sic semper tyrannis,” a Latin phrase meaning “thus always to tyrants” that is famously associated with John Wilkes Booth, who is said to have shouted the phrase after assassinating President Abraham Lincoln. Read the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint here . The penalties for violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 111(a)(1) and (b)—Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding a Governmental Officer or Employee—are up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. The penalties for violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1361—Damaging Government Property or Contracts—are tied to the extent of the property damage. If the damage exceeds $1,000, the defendant is subject to up to 10 years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Vasquez Schmitt is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the criminal complaint against Henson. The University of Pittsburgh Police and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police assisted in the apprehension of Henson. A criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Minnesota Woman Pleads Guilty in $2 Million Counterfeit Medical Devices Case

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – Tammy Wadsworth, age 63, pled guilty today to possessing altered, forged, or counterfeit medical products, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. Wadsworth, the founder of a pain clinic, defrauded more than a dozen franchise owners through a sophisticated fraud scheme involving microcurrent therapy provided at franchise treatment centers across the United States. She then attempted to conceal her fraud scheme by laundering significant portions of the money she fraudulently obtained from franchise owners. “Wadsworth is a modern-day snake oil salesman,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Fraud that exploits families searching for answers is among the most shameless crimes we see. It is theft dressed up as innovation. Wadsworth now joins the long line of Minnesota fraudsters who will see federal justice.” Wadsworth is the founder and owner of Pain, Injury and Brain Centers of America (“PIBCOA”). PIBCOA was a Minnesota limited liability company located in Winona, Minnesota. PIBCOA had clinics and offices throughout the United States. Wadsworth and PIBCOA claimed to provide a treatment called “A.I. Myoneurvascular Therapy” that, using artificial intelligence and low voltage electricity, would restore degenerative cells to healthy, fully functioning cells. This claim was false. The treatment involved the application of electrodes to the patient’s skin that, when the system was turned on, would deliver various levels of electrical currents to the patient. Wadsworth falsely claimed that A.I. Myoneurvascular Therapy could be used to treat virtually any type of disease, disorder, or condition with a 95% success rate, including Lupus, Crohn’s Disease, Depression, Infertility, Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and Autism. Starting in May 2017, Wadsworth devised a scheme to recruit franchise owners to open clinics and provide A.I. Myoneurvascular Therapy to patients around the country. Wadsworth pitched franchise owners with her false claims that A.I. Myoneurvascular Therapy was “state-of-the-art technology” that “treats the untreatable.” Wadsworth trained franchisees on use of PIBCOA’s equipment and treatment and sold them expensive medical devices and gels that Wadsworth claimed were developed solely for PIBCOA to provide A.I. Myoneurvascular Therapy. In reality, the devices Wadsworth sold to franchise owners had serial numbers, manufacturer information, and product information removed or covered up. Wadsworth refaced the equipment and replaced the manufacturer’s label with a PIBCOA label to pretend that it was her own. Additionally, PIBCOA’s A.I. Myoneurvascular Therapy was not only unsuccessful in treating the diseases and conditions as promised by Wadsworth, but in many cases, the treatment caused injuries to the franchise owners and patients, including burns, scars, and severe nausea. Wadsworth promised the franchise owners a “great source of revenue.” Wadsworth charged franchise owners between $60,000 and $250,000 to open PIBCOA franchises. After discovering Wadsworth’s false representations both with respect to the equipment they purchased and the use of such equipment to treat patients, all the franchise owners were forced to shut down their businesses. Many incurred substantial financial losses. In total, the defendant’s actions caused $887,061 in actual loss and as much as more than $2 million in total loss to PIBCOA franchise owners, including payments directly to Wadsworth for equipment, royalties, and franchising costs as well as financial losses associated with the closure of franchisees’ unsuccessful PIBCOA businesses. She primarily used the money to purchase real estate, including a house in Nevada, a Mercedes Benz, and fund her extravagant lifestyle. Wadsworth pled guilty today. She will be sentenced at a later date. “U.S. consumers rely on the FDA to ensure that their medical devices are safe and effective and bear true and accurate labeling for their intended uses,” said Special Agent in Charge Ronne Malham of the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations Chicago Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice those who threaten the health of consumers by evading federal requirements.” This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca E. Kline is prosecuting the case.


title: Two now in custody for international kidnapping

body_text: McALLEN, Texas – A 30-year-old Lumberton resident is set for a detention hearing following his arrest for kidnapping two minor children and taking them to Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Authorities have taken Luis Angel Rodriguez into custody. He made his initial appearance and is set for a detention hearing Sept. 19 at 1 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott Hacker. Carolina Rodriguez is also charged and remains in custody. Law enforcement arrested her in June. The indictment, returned in August, alleges that on or about Sept. 1, 2024, Carolina and Luis Angel Rodriguez kidnapped two children, both under the age of 16, and took them to Mexico. Authorities also located the children and have reunited them with their guardians. If convicted, Luis and Carolina Rodriguez face up to three years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Legat Mexico City, Monterrey Sub-office and San Juan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexa D. Parcell is prosecuting the case. An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Praetorian Group International CEO pleads guilty to $200M bitcoin Ponzi scheme

body_text: ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The Chief Executive Officer of a multi-level marketing and bitcoin trading firm pled guilty yesterday to wire fraud and money laundering for operating a Ponzi scheme that defrauded over 90,000 investors worldwide. According to court documents, Ramil Ventura Palafox, 60, a dual citizen of the United States and the Philippines, owned and operated Praetorian Group International (PGI) and served as PGI’s Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and chief promoter. Palafox falsely claimed that PGI was engaged in bitcoin trading, and he promised daily returns of 0.5 to 3%. PGI was not trading bitcoin at a scale capable of making the promised returns, however, and Palafox was paying the investors back with their own money or with funds received from other investors. From December 2019 to October 2021, at least 90,000 investors worldwide invested more than $201,000,000 in PGI, including at least $30,295,289 in fiat currency and at least 8,198 bitcoin worth $171,498,528. As a result of Palafox’s actions, investors suffered losses totaling at least $62,692,007. Palafox created a PGI website for investors to review their purported investment performance. From 2020 through 2021, Palafox caused the online portal to consistently and fraudulently misrepresent that victims’ investments were gaining value, misleading them to believe that their investments were profitable and secure. Palafox spent money on expenses that served both personal purposes and to promote the fraudulent scheme. He spent approximately $3 million on 20 luxury vehicles, including automobiles by Porsche, Lamborghini, McClaren, Ferrari, BMW, Bentley, and others. Palafox spent approximately $329,000 on penthouse suites at a luxury hotel chain and purchased four homes in Las Vegas and Los Angeles worth more than $6 million. Palafox spent another $3 million of investors’ money to buy clothing, watches, jewelry, and home furnishings at luxury retailers, including Louboutin, Neiman Marcus, Gucci, Versace, Ferragamo, Valentino, Cartier, Rolex, and Hermes, among others. He transferred at least $800,000 in fiat currency, plus an additional 100 bitcoin, then valued at approximately $3.3 million, to one of his family members. Palafox is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 10, 2026, and faces up to 40 years in prison. As part of his plea agreement, Palafox has agreed to pay restitution of $62,692,007. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division; and Kareem A. Carter, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jack Morgan, Zoe Bedell, and Annie Zanobini are prosecuting the case. Case updates and additional information for victims of PGI, who may be entitled to restitution payments, can be found here . A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-52. This release was revised on Sept. 19, 2025, to update the sentencing date.


title: Violent felon sentenced to 10 years for possessing firearms, body armor following parole violation

component: USAO - Alaska

body_text: FAIRBANKS, Alaska – A Fairbanks man was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison, and upon release, will serve three years on supervised release for possessing multiple firearms and body armor as a felon. According to court documents, on June 4, 2024, an arrest warrant for a parole violation was issued for George Romero, 37. Romero was on parole for a 2006 felony State conviction for murder, assault and robbery. On June 6, 2024, law enforcement officials located Romero at a residence in Fairbanks and observed Romero walking around the residence and loading camping gear into a vehicle. The vehicle departed the residence with Romero and drove to a nearby intersection, where Romero began unloading the camping gear. Romero was wearing a camouflage poncho, had multiple bags and began to carry the supplies toward the tree line. Law enforcement officers deployed to apprehend Romero. SWAT officers called out verbal instructions and Romero complied with most orders before he was arrested. Law enforcement searched his person and found body armor, multiple firearms, handgun magazines and loose ammunition. They also found another pistol in the bag he was carrying. On Nov. 20, 2024, a federal grand jury in Alaska indicted Romero for being a felon in possession of a firearm and for being a violent felon in possession of body armor. On April 4, 2025, a jury convicted Romero on all charges. In handing down the sentence, the Court emphasized the need to protect the community from Romero’s actions. “Mr. Romero is a violent felon who repeatedly disregards the law and remains a serious threat to our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “Fortunately, the recent interaction with law enforcement did not escalate, and this sentence ensures the community will be safeguarded from the defendant for another decade. This sentence reflects the gravity of his crime and sends a strong message that those who illegally possess firearms and related supplies—especially individuals with violent histories—will face severe federal penalties.” “George Romero has consistently demonstrated defiance to authority and a lack of respect for the law,” said Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “Romero, a convicted felon, armed himself with multiple firearms, ammunition and body armor and fled to avoid arrest for a parole violation. FBI Anchorage will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney’s Office to keep our communities safe.” “George Romero has a long and violent history, and his decision to arm himself with multiple firearms and body armor while on parole showed once again the threat he posed to Alaskans,” said Alaska State Trooper Colonel Maurice Hughes. “This sentence ensures that he will no longer endanger our state. The Alaska State Troopers remain committed to working with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to hold violent offenders accountable and ensure public safety across our great state.” The Alaska State Troopers, Fairbanks Area Narcotics Team (FANT), FBI Anchorage Field Office, Fairbanks Resident Agency and ATF Anchorage Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Vosacek and Trial Attorneys from the Antitrust Division, David Bernhardt and Lauren Weed prosecuted the case. ###


title: St. Louis Man Sentenced to 27 Months in Prison for Pandemic Loan Fraud

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark on Wednesday sentenced a St. Louis man who fraudulently obtained more than $629,000 in pandemic relief loans to 27 months in prison and ordered him to repay the money. Shahron Vaulx, 41, submitted eight fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loan applications between May 2020 and June 2021, “essentially stealing money intended for those struggling with the pandemic,” a sentencing memo says. The applications, submitted in the names of Fortunnett Financial LLC, SD Incorporation LLC, SV Collections LLC and SD Marketing LLC, contained false information about monthly payroll and the number of company employees. Vaulx submitted fake tax forms to support the payroll and income claims, which were falsely inflated to increase the amount of the loans. After the loans were approved, Vaulx withdrew cash, transferred money to others, made personal retail purchases and paid bills with the money. He later applied for loan forgiveness, falsely claiming that he used the loans on permissible business expenses. “The only explanation for (Vaulx’) crime is greed,” the sentencing memo says, citing his substantial positive monthly cash flow and gross monthly income of $25,000 at the time of his crimes. Judge Clark ordered Vaulx to repay $629,809. “This case highlights the United States Secret Service’s commitment to aggressively target individuals who have taken advantage of federal pandemic programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Travis Gibson of the U.S. Secret Service - St. Louis Field Office. Vaulx pleaded guilty in January to two counts of wire fraud. The U.S. Secret Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gwen Carroll and Stephen Casey prosecuted the case.


title: Former Chief and Captain of Bethany Beach Police Department  Receive Prison Sentences for Theft of Federal Funds

body_text: Wilmington, Del. – Two men, the former Chief and Captain of the Bethany Beach Police Department, have been sentenced to terms of imprisonment for theft of federal funds, announced U.S. Attorney Julianne E. Murray. Michael Redmon, 58, of Selbyville, was sentenced to 13 months in prison, and ordered to pay restitution of $81,890 and a fine of $50,000. Darin Cathell, 50, of Frankford, was sentenced to two months in prison followed by six months of home detention and ordered to pay restitution of $67,790 and a fine of $25,000. According to court documents, Redmon, the former Chief of the Department, and Cathell, the former Captain of the Department, spent years claiming to work overtime shifts that they did not, in fact, work. Redmon falsely claimed at least 174 overtime shifts, totaling at least 760 hours and at least $81,890. Cathell falsely claimed at least 185 overtime shifts, totaling at least 800 hours and at least $67,970. Some of the funds Redmon and Cathell received were federal grant funds. U.S. Attorney Murray stated, “Michael Redmon and Darin Cathell were sworn to uphold the law. They instead broke it – over and over, for years and years – to the detriment of the Town of Bethany Beach, their fellow officers in the Bethany Beach Police Department, and indeed every citizen who puts their faith in law enforcement. These just sentences reflect the seriousness of the defendants’ crimes.” “Not only did they fail to lead by example, Michael Redmon and Darin Cathell betrayed the Bethany Beach community and their police colleagues. Their greed fueled a lengthy overtime fraud scheme, overtaking the oath they swore. As these sentences show, no one is above the law and the FBI is committed to rooting out corruption on behalf of the hard-working officers who carry out their duties honestly and honorably," said FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno. U.S. Attorney Murray made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Colm F. Connolly. The case was prosecuted by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace and investigated by the FBI and the Delaware Attorney General’s Office. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 25-CR-01-CFC and 25-CR-02-CFC.


title: Cedar Rapids Man Who Shot Another Person  During a Failed Drug Deal Sentenced to Prison

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: A man who shot another person during a failed drug deal was sentenced today to 18 years in federal prison. Seth John Lee McGraw, age 25, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an April 3, 2025 guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of possession of an unregistered firearm. On August 24, 2024, McGraw met with an individual in Cedar Rapids to sell marijuana. The deal did not go according to plan, and McGraw ultimately pulled out a firearm and fired multiple shots at the individual, striking that individual twice. Law enforcement officers searched McGraw’s apartment later that same day and located multiple firearms and drugs. One of the firearms that officers located at McGraw’s apartment was a short-barreled rifle that was not properly registered to McGraw. McGraw was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. McGraw was sentenced to 216 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. McGraw is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison. 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. This case is part of Operation Take Back America ( https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-CR-7. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Guatemalan National Illegally Residing in the United States Indicted on Fraud Charges Related to the Sponsorship of Unaccompanied Alien Child

body_text: An indictment unsealed today in the Middle District of Louisiana charges a Guatemalan national residing illegally in the United States with fraud related to the submission of an application to sponsor an unaccompanied alien child (UAC). “As alleged, this defendant made fraudulent misstatements to the U.S. government to try to sponsor an unaccompanied child in the United States,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti, of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Defendants who lie to secure the care and custody of an unaccompanied child threaten the government’s ability to ensure that the child is placed in a safe environment with a proper caregiver. The Criminal Division is fully committed to protecting vulnerable children and delivering justice to those who violate the law.” “I would like to thank our prosecutor and our partners for their tireless work on this matter,” said U.S. Attorney Ellison C. Travis for the Middle District of Louisiana. “We are committed to eliminating the exploitation of minors and their families by unscrupulous traffickers, and appreciate the resources which were brought to bear by federal authorities to bring this defendant to justice.” “Deliberately attempting to defraud a government program designed to safeguard vulnerable children is a reprehensible act that demands accountability,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “In close coordination with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to rigorously pursue those who attempt to exploit the Unaccompanied Alien Children’s program and ensure they are held fully accountable under the law.” According to court documents, Felix Coc Choc, 29, of Rogers, Arkansas submitted an application to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) under penalty of perjury to sponsor and obtain custody of a UAC after the UAC entered the United States illegally. As alleged in the indictment, after a 16-year-old Guatemalan UAC entered the United States illegally in January 2023, Coc Choc submitted an application to sponsor the UAC. Coc Choc allegedly falsely claimed to be the UAC’s brother and asserted that his own name was J.C.J. as listed on a Guatemala national identification card that he submitted in support of the sponsorship application. After initially denying that he was using another individual’s identity, Coc Choc admitted to the misrepresentation. Coc Choc then filed a sponsorship application in his true name. ORR denied this application as a result of the alleged fraud. Coc Choc is charged with one count of making a false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement, and one count of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the false statement count, and a mandatory consecutive penalty of two years in prison on the aggravated identity theft count. These charges are the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and other transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in the Americas, including Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, Colombia, and the Caribbean that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border, the Northern District of New York, the District of Vermont, and the Southern District of Florida. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS), the Office of Enforcement Operations (OEO), and the Office of International Affairs (OIA), among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 415 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 355 U.S. convictions; more than 305 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets. HHS-OIG is investigating the case. Homeland Security Investigations’ (HSI) Legal Attaché team in Guatemala, HSI’s Center for Countering Human Trafficking in Washington, D.C., and ORR provided valuable assistance. JTFA Trial Attorneys Aaron Jennen and Nicole Lockhart, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Craig for the Middle District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from Samantha Usher of the Justice Department’s Health Care Fraud Unit. Valuable assistance was also provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs. 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 other transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods. 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. District Court Appoints Craig H. Missakian As United States Attorney For The Northern District Of California

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California has approved the appointment of Craig H. Missakian as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of California. Chief U.S. District Judge Richard Seeborg administered the oath of office to U.S. Attorney Missakian this afternoon. Mr. Missakian has been serving in the position of United States Attorney since May 27, 2025, following his appointment for 120 days by Attorney General Pamela Bondi, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 546. “I am grateful to the judges of the Northern District of California for their decision and for the opportunity to continue working with the talented women and men of this Office to serve the people of this remarkable district. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is entrusted with the important responsibilities of protecting our communities and upholding the rule of law, and our commitment to the mission remains deep and unwavering,” said United States Attorney Missakian. As the United States Attorney, Mr. Missakian serves as the chief federal law enforcement officer in the Northern District of California, home to nearly nine million residents in 15 counties spanning from Del Norte in the north to Monterey in the south, more than 300 public companies centered in Silicon Valley, and three major metropolitan areas in San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose.


title: Brentwood Man Sentenced To More Than Eight Years In Prison For Receipt Of Child Sexual Abuse Materials, Possession Of Unregistered Firearm

body_text: OAKLAND – Michael Lee Patterson was sentenced today to 103 months in federal prison for receipt of child pornography and possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle. U.S. District Judge Haywood S. Gilliam, Jr. handed down the sentence. Patterson, 44, of Brentwood, was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 18, 2024, and pleaded guilty on May 21, 2025, to both counts. According to the plea agreement, Patterson attempted to meet an individual whom he believed to be a 13-year-old girl to perform sexual acts on her. After his arrest, Patterson was found to be in possession of over 600 videos and 1,000 images containing depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Law enforcement also found Patterson in possession of a short-barreled rifle, which he had not registered with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required by law. United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian, U.S. Secret Service (USSS) San Francisco Field Office Special Agent in Charge Shawn Bradstreet, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Topper made the announcement. In addition to the prison term, Judge Gilliam also sentenced Patterson to a 10-year period of supervised release and ordered him to pay restitution. The defendant was immediately remanded into custody to begin serving his sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonah P. Ross is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Claudia Hyslop. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the USSS, ATF, Silicon Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Brentwood, Concord, and Walnut Creek Police Departments, and the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office.