title: Drug distribution takedowns in October result in more than 18 arrests and large amounts of fentanyl pills and powder taken off the streets

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle – Two long-term investigations in the Western District of Washington wrapped up in October 2025 with multiple arrests and significant seizures of narcotics and firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. This afternoon, Jose Isabel Sandoval Zuniga, 30, of Sammamish, Washington who served as a primary source of firearms for one of the groups, is being arraigned on gun and drug charges returned by the grand jury earlier this month. “These successful law enforcement investigations will no doubt save lives – lives that could be lost to fentanyl overdoses or gun violence,” said U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. “Law enforcement carefully worked its way up the drug distribution chain to find those responsible. In one case they found multiple family members leading the distribution ring, in the other they found drug and gun distribution intertwined with illegal cockfighting and an improvised explosive.” “Both of these groups showed a callous disregard for our communities, sometimes even bringing their young children along, as they peddled poison and dangerous firearms.” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “Our teams seized a staggering 3.4 million potentially lethal doses of fentanyl from these two groups, enough poison to kill every person alive in King County. I am very proud of DEA and our team for ending this menace.” The first takedown occurred on October 16, 2025, following a ten-month investigation. In December 2024, one of the leaders of the drug distribution ring, Carlos Gutama Escandon, 30, of Renton was stopped by Tulalip Tribal Police in Marysville and had fentanyl pills, fentanyl powder and cash in his car. Over the following months law enforcement made undercover buys from the ring and surveilled drug deliveries and money laundering activity. The core group, the Gutama Escandon family, are originally from Ecuador. In all, eight people have been charged in the case: Oliver Gutama Escandon, 21, Renton, Washington Josselin Gutama Escandon, 23, Renton, Washington Henry Gutama Escandon, 34, Renton, Washington Carlos Gutama Escandon, 30, Renton, Washington Jessica Gutama Escandon, 32, Renton, Washington Andres Giraldo Arias, 34, Renton, Washington Stalyn Quezada Gutama, 23, Renton, Washington Artur Shahnazaryan, 38, Redmond, Washington In that drug investigation law enforcement seized four firearms, more than $220,000 in cash, two kilograms of fentanyl powder, three kilograms of methamphetamine, more than 36,000 fentanyl pills as well as smaller amounts of heroin and cocaine. “This investigation demonstrates what we can accomplish through strong partnerships among local, state, and federal agencies,” said Snohomish County Sheriff Susanna Johnson. “What began with a proactive Tulalip Tribal Police traffic stop and continued through an extensive undercover operation by the Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force, resulted in the takedown of a drug trafficking organization operating across the Puget Sound region. Disrupting organizations like this directly reduces the supply of fentanyl and heroin in our communities. I am extremely proud of the dedication, persistence, and coordination by every agency involved, and we will continue working together to keep our neighborhoods safe and hold drug traffickers accountable.” The second takedown occurred October 28, 2025, with ten arrests. The arrests were the culmination of a year-long investigation by area law enforcement officers. In the arrest operation on October 28, law enforcement seized approximately 105,000 fentanyl pills, 34 kilos of fentanyl powder, 3.7 kilos of methamphetamine, nearly a kilogram of heroin and 8.7 kilos of cocaine. Law enforcement also seized over $140,000 in cash. Two men, Jose Isabel Sandoval Zuniga, and Edgar Rivas Robles, 33 of Centralia, Washington are tied to a rural property in Lewis Country where law enforcement unearthed an improvised explosive device and an illegal cockfighting operation. The structure on the property contained 25 kilos of suspected fentanyl powder, more than 90,000 fentanyl pills and two dozen firearms. Zuniga was arrested in his vehicle with 1.6 kilos of suspected fentanyl. At Sandoval Zuniga’s Sammamish home investigators seized heroin, fentanyl, and a loaded .45 caliber semiautomatic pistol. These defendants have now been indicted on various drug distribution and illegal firearms charges: Luis Humberto Lamas-Guzman, 25, of Lynnwood, Washington Eduardo Villavicencio-Salido, 44, of Marysville, Washington Silvestre Ramos Martinez, 35, of Everett, Washington Jose Navarro Hernandez “Robert”, 46, of Marysville, Washington Jose Manuel Ramos Ibarra “Kora”, 28, of Everett, Washington Marisol Perez-Diaz, 23, of Auburn, Washington Jordan Martinez Gamez, 23, of Auburn, Washington Jose Isabel Sandoval Zuniga, 30, of Sammamish, Washington Roni Licona Escoto, 56, of Seattle Edgar Rivas Robles, 33, of Centralia, Washington The charges contained in the indictments are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. “These suspects were trafficking and distributing dangerous drugs throughout Seattle,” said Seattle Police Assistant Chief Nicole Powell. “The City of Seattle and the region around the city are safer because of the fantastic work done by SPD and our federal partners.” “Getting illegal drugs and guns off our streets is not just a win on paper; it is a real, tangible win for everyone in our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Carrie Nordyke, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Seattle Field Office. “We are proud that our combined efforts are making a real difference in people’s lives, and we will continue to work tirelessly with our partners to make our streets safer for all.” These investigations and prosecutions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. Both investigations were led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in partnership with Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the Seattle Police Department, the Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force, and the Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force (NW HIDTA). These agencies assisted in the law enforcement operation on October 16, 2025: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Tulalip Police Department. These agencies assisted in the law enforcement operation on October 28, 2025: Seattle Police Department, North Sound Metro, Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, Washington State Patrol, Centralia Police Department, U.S Customs & Border Protection, the King County Sheriff’s Office and Valley SWAT comprised of officers from the Renton, Federal Way, Kent, Auburn, Tukwila, Des Moines and Port of Seattle police departments.


title: Oklahoma City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Causing Fatal Collision While Under the Influence of Alcohol and Marijuana in Indian Country

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – ALIAS BAH DE ZA LAWRENCE SOUDRY , 21, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 60 months in federal prison for involuntary manslaughter in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. According to public records, on June 14, 2024, law enforcement officers with the Blanchard Police Department and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) responded to a fatal car collision on Highway 76. While driving southbound on the highway, Soudry drifted into oncoming traffic, sideswiping one vehicle and colliding with a second. The driver of the second vehicle, Raquel Anderson, died on scene, and a passenger was transported to a nearby hospital with injuries, where they were later released. Soudry was administered a blood test, which showed evidence of alcohol and marijuana in his system, and was subsequently arrested. On September 17, 2024, a federal Grand Jury charged Soudry with involuntary manslaughter. This case is in federal court because Soudry is a member of the Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma and the crime took place within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation. On June 4, 2025, Soudry pleaded guilty and admitted he knowingly drove a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and marijuana and thereby caused the death of another person. At the sentencing hearing on November 18, 2025, U.S. District Judge Jodi W. Dishman sentenced Soudry to serve 60 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing her sentence, Judge Dishman noted the nature and circumstances of the offense, highlighting the extent of Soudry’s intoxication and the number of individuals injured or killed during the collision. This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Blanchard Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Edgmon prosecuted the case. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Moore Man Charged with Failing to Register as a Sex Offender After Staging Crime Scene, Fleeing State in 2012

body_text: United States Marshals Service Located Man in Upstate New York After More Than a Decade on the Run OKLAHOMA CITY – A federal Grand Jury has charged ANTHONY MICHAEL LENNON , 44, of Moore, with failure to register as a sex offender, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. According to court documents, on March 12, 2012, officers with the Moore Police Department (MPD) contacted the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) for assistance in locating Lennon. MPD learned that Lennon disappeared from a local hotel, where authorities found evidence of a violent struggle. However, after consulting with crime scene experts, the USMS determined the crime scene was staged. At the time of his disappearance, Lennon, a registered sex offender, faced child pornography charges in Cleveland County District Court, as well as potential prison time for violating the terms of his suspended sentence from a prior child pornography conviction. USMS learned that Lennon had emptied his bank accounts shortly before vanishing and believed he had fled the state of Oklahoma. Recently discovered information determined that Lennon lived in the State of New York, had failed to register as a sex offender, and had attempted multiple times to obtain a United States passport under an alias. Lennon was arrested on October 30, 2025, in Canton, New York. On November 18, 2025, a federal Grand Jury sitting in the Western District of Oklahoma charged Lennon with failure to register as a sex offender. If convicted, Lennon faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The public is reminded this charge is merely an allegation, and that Lennon is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is the result of an investigation by the United States Marshals Service, the Moore Police Department, and the Diplomatic Security Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Edgmon is prosecuting the case. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: New Hampshire Man Indicted for Fraud Scheme that Stole Over $700,000 in California Unemployment Insurance Benefits

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: A federal grand jury returned a 10-count indictment today against Anthony Mark Silva, 40, of Manchester, New Hampshire, charging him with nine counts of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to court documents, between July 2020 and June 2021, Silva executed a scheme to defraud the California Employment Development Department (EDD) by filing fraudulent unemployment insurance claims with EDD, seeking Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and other benefits under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. During the scheme, Silva collected personally identifiable information of numerous individuals—including names, birth dates, and Social Security numbers—which were used to file fraudulent unemployment insurance claims. The filings represented, among other things, that the claimants had recently lost employment or were unable to find employment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These unemployment insurance claims were fraudulent because, for example, the claimants were not unemployed, they were not eligible for California unemployment insurance benefits, or Silva did not have authority to file claims on their behalf. EDD approved dozens of the fraudulent claims and authorized Bank of America to mail out debit cards containing unemployment insurance benefits. Silva then activated the debit cards and spent the benefits on himself. The scheme sought and caused EDD and the United States to incur actual losses exceeding $700,000. This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and EDD’s Investigation Division. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nchekube Onyima and Assistant U.S. Attorney Shea J. Kenny are prosecuting the case. If convicted, Silva faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine on each of the bank fraud counts. Silva also faces a two-year mandatory prison sentence if convicted of aggravated identity theft, which must run consecutive to any sentence received on the other counts. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.


title: Tennessee Man Convicted By Federal Jury of Transporting a Minor  Across State Lines to Engage in Sex

component: USAO - Mississippi, Northern

body_text: Greenville, MS – A federal jury convicted a Tennessee man this week of three counts of transporting a minor across state lines to engage in sex. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Terry Dewayne Macon met a Mississippi teen online in July of 2024. Over the next month, Macon drove from Tennessee to Mississippi on three occasions where he picked up the minor and returned with her to Tennessee. Macon later admitted that he had engaged in sex acts with the minor. At the time of the transport and sex acts, Macon was 27 years old, and the female was 14 years old. On August 28, 2024, members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Child Abduction Response Team located the minor with Macon at a residence in Grand Junction, Tennessee and returned her safely home. The jury considered the testimony of the minor and her mother, as well as two Task Force Officers with the FBI. Macon was found guilty on all counts of transporting a minor in interstate commerce with the intent to engage in unlawful sexual activity. He will be sentenced for these offenses by Chief United States District Judge Debra M. Brown on a later date. Macon was serving a term of federal supervised release at the time of the offenses. At a revocation proceeding held following the verdict, Judge Brown sentenced Macon to 24 months for the violations of release, which will run concurrent to the future sentence imposed in the sex offense case. U.S. Attorney Scott F. Leary of the Northern District of Mississippi and FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the FBI Jackson Field Office made the announcement concerning the jury’s guilty verdict. The FBI Jackson Field Office and the Corinth Police Department investigated the case with assistance from the FBI Nashville, Jackson Resident Agency and other local investigative agencies in the State of Tennessee. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie Addison and Parker King are prosecuting the case. This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov .


title: Fort Lauderdale Financial Advisor Pleads Guilty to $94 Million International Investment Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – A Fort Lauderdale man pleaded guilty on Nov. 14 to charges arising from a years-long scheme that defrauded international investors—primarily Venezuelan nationals—of more than $94 million. According to court documents, Andrew Hamilton Jacobus, 64, falsely portrayed himself as a seasoned financial advisor managing legitimate investment portfolios, while misappropriating investor funds for personal use and to pay returns to earlier investors in classic Ponzi-scheme fashion. Between 2004 and 2023, Jacobus solicited funds through entities under his control, including Kronus Financial Corporation and Finser International Corporation, promising access to secure investment products and high-yield returns. In reality, Jacobus forged account statements, falsified documentation, and diverted client funds to luxury personal expenditures and Ponzi payments. Jacobus pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each count. A federal district court judge will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Ronald A. Loecker of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Florida Field Office, made the announcement. IRS-CI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert F. Moore is prosecuting. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitch Hyman is handling asset forfeiture. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 25-cr-20309.


title: Corpus Christi man sentenced to over 13 years after distributing crack cocaine from apartment

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 38-year-old local resident has been ordered to prison for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and distribution of crack cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Evaristo Coleman pleaded guilty Aug. 20. U.S. District Judge David Morales has now handed Coleman a 100-month term of imprisonment for the drug trafficking. He also received 60 months for the firearms charge which must be served consecutively to the other sentence imposed. The total 160-month prison term will be immediately followed by four years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court made special mention that drugs had been found in multiple residences associated with Coleman. The investigation began in January following multiple reports of alleged drug sales from the apartment. Authorities conducted surveillance and observed regular customers who came to buy cocaine and crack cocaine. In February, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence where they discovered more than 100 grams of crack cocaine, nearly 300 grams of powder cocaine. They also found two 9mm pistols that Coleman possessed while selling the drugs. Coleman has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Corpus Christi Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Griffith prosecuted the case.


title: North Texas men indicted in the Eastern District of Texas for an international murder/kidnapping scheme

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: PLANO, Texas – Two north Texas men have been charged in relation to a plot that included invading an island off Haiti, murdering the men on the island, and using the women and children as sex slaves, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Gavin Rivers Weisenburg, 21, of Allen, and Tanner Christopher Thomas, 20, of Argyle were named in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas charging them with conspiracy to murder, maim, or kidnap in a foreign country and production of child pornography. Information presented in court indicates that between August 2024 and July 2025, Weisenburg and Thomas are alleged to have conspired to recruit and lead an unlawful expeditionary force to the Island of Gonave, which is part of the Republic of Haiti, for the purpose of carrying out their rape fantasies. Weisenburg and Thomas planned to purchase a sailboat, firearms, and ammunition, then recruit members of the District of Columbia-area homeless population to serve as a mercenary force as they invaded Gonave Island and staged a coup d'etat. Weisenburg and Thomas intended to murder all of the men on the island so that they could then turn all of the women and children into their sex slaves. Weisenburg and Thomas undertook numerous overt acts in furtherance of their invasion plan, including making operational and logistical plans, learning Haitian Creole language, recruiting others to join the invasion plan, and researching and enrolling in schools to acquire skills relevant to the invasion plan. Thomas even enlisted in the U.S. Air Force to acquire military skills relevant to the invasion plan. Weisenburg and Thomas are also charged with production of child pornography in a related count in the indictment. If convicted of the federal conspiracy to commit murder in a foreign country, Weisenburg and Thomas face up to life in federal prison. If convicted of the federal production of child pornography charges, both face at least 15 years and up to 30 years in federal prison. This case is being investigated by the FBI, U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and Celina Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Locker. A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Cherokee County felon indicted in the Eastern District of Texas related to shooting of Jacksonville police officer

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

body_text: TYLER, Texas –A Jacksonville convicted felon has been indicted and charged with federal firearms violations in connection with the shooting of a police officer in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Bobby Michael Dennis, 64, was named in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to information presented in court, on November 2, 2025, Dennis is alleged to have opened fire on a Jacksonville police officer, striking her twice, with an AR-15-style rifle when the officer attempted to identify him pursuant to multiple outstanding warrants. After firing numerous rounds at the officer, her K9, and her car, Dennis fled, leading to a multi-agency manhunt, during which Jacksonville-area schools canceled classes for two days. A search warrant executed at Dennis’ residence in Jacksonville resulted in the discovery of four additional firearms. Dennis was apprehended on the evening of November 5, 2025, during the execution of a search warrant at a bunker he built near Cuney. An additional firearm was recovered from the bunker. Dennis is prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law as a three-time convicted felon, with previous convictions for aggravated robbery in Smith County and aggravated assault and possession of a controlled substance in Pulaski County, Arkansas. If convicted of the federal firearms charges, Dennis faces up to life in prison. This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the FBI; Homeland Security Investigations; Cherokee County District Attorney’s Office; Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office; Jacksonville Police Department; Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division; and the Texas Rangers. The case is being prosecuted in federal court by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Locker and Lucas Machicek. A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Violent Extremist Network “764” Member Facing Federal Indictment for Sexual Exploitation, Coercion and Enticement of Minors, Cyberstalking

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – Today, a federal grand jury returned an indictment, charging Erik Lee Madison, 20, of Halethorpe, Maryland, with three counts of sexual exploitation of a child, three counts of coercion and enticement of a child, and one count of cyberstalking. Law enforcement arrested Madison pursuant to a criminal complaint on November 6, 2025. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Chief Amal E. Awad, Anne Arundel County Police Department (AACOPD); and Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD). According to the indictment, and the affidavit filed in support of the previous criminal complaint, Madison was a member and associate of “764,” a criminal organization of Nihilistic Violent Extremists. Members of “764” use known online social media communications platforms as mediums to support the possession, production, and sharing of extreme gore media and child sex abuse material with vulnerable, juvenile populations. These individuals often conduct coordinated extortions of teenagers, blackmailing the victims to comply with the group’s demands. The indictment alleges that between November 2024 and September 2025, Madison persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced three minor females to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Madison illegally interacted the minors to produce and transmit a visual depiction of the sexually explicit conduct and to engage in prohibited sexual conduct. Additionally, the indictment alleges Madison committed cyberstalking against one of the minor victims. If convicted, Madison faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for each of the three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. He also faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of life imprisonment for each of the three counts of coercion and enticement of a child, and a maximum of 10 years in federal prison for cyberstalking. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Magistrate Judge Erin Aslan previously ordered Madison to be detained pending trial. An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page. The Justice Department remains vigilant against the threat of Nihilistic Violent Extremist (NVE) networks, like 764, that operate within the United States and around the globe. NVEs often target vulnerable individuals, including minors, using social media platforms to share child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and gore material, and groom victims toward committing acts of violence. Victims are often extorted, coerced, compelled, and blackmailed into complying with NVE demands, including self-mutilation, online and in-person sexual acts, harm to animals, sexual exploitation of siblings and others, acts of violence, threats of violence, suicide, and murder. For more information on how to protect children and others, read about the online risks here: Parents, Caregivers, Teachers — FBI and the FBI’s March 2025 public service announcement . U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, AACOPD, and the BCPD for their work in the investigation. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Mexican national, illegally living in Henderson, indicted for unlawfully returning to the United States

component: USAO - Texas, Eastern

body_text: TYLER, Texas – A Mexican national, illegally living in Henderson, has been charged with unlawfully returning to the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Antonio Oliveros-Montero, 45, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. The indictment alleges that Oliveros-Montes was in the Rusk County Jail when it was determined that he is a citizen of Mexico and is in the United States illegally after having been previously deported. If convicted, Oliveros-Montes faces up to 10 years in federal prison and deportation. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Noble. A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Honduran national, illegally living in East Texas, indicted for unlawfully returning to the United States

body_text: TYLER, Texas – A Honduran national, illegally living in the Lufkin-area, has been charged with unlawfully returning to the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Edwin Padilla-Cruz, 42, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. The indictment alleges that Padilla-Cruz was found in the Eastern District of Texas after having been previously deported. If convicted, Padilla-Cruz faces up to 20 years in federal prison and deportation. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Jackson. A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Mexican national, illegally living in Milford, indicted for unlawfully returning to the United States

body_text: TYLER, Texas – A Mexican national, illegally living in Milford, has been charged with unlawfully returning to the United States, announced Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Pedro Campuzano-Orozco, 51, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week in the Eastern District of Texas charging him with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. The indictment alleges that Campuzano-Orozco was found in the Eastern District of Texas after having been previously deported. If convicted, Campuzano-Orozco faces up to two years in federal prison and deportation. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Forest Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Jackson. A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Child Sexual Exploitation Offenses

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: A Colorado man was sentenced today to ten years in prison and lifetime supervised release for his role in an online forum that worked to sexually exploit dozens of minor victims. According to court documents, Steven Glenn Christiansen, 69, of Fort Collins, Colorado used a mobile messaging application with end-to-end encryption to access “invite only” group chats in which users exchanged images and videos of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The members used these groups to share livestreams and save files on third party platforms, typically of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct at the members’ behest. Christiansen communicated directly with other users to request and exchange CSAM. After executing a residential search warrant at his residence, several digital devices were seized containing images and videos of CSAM, and the defendant admitted to possessing thousands of images. Christiansen pleaded guilty in August 2025 to one count of possession of child pornography. He was previously convicted in the state of Colorado in March 2000 for sexually assaulting a child. Trial Attorney Kaylynn Foulon of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Hindman for the District of Colorado prosecuted the case. Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Peter McNeilly for the District of Colorado, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Marvin Massey of the FBI Denver Field Office made the announcement. 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 CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Seattle man convicted of trafficking fentanyl while armed

body_text: Seattle – A jury in U.S. District Court in Seattle today convicted 34-year-old Seattle resident Leon Henderson of three counts of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, two counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Leon Henderson was arrested by Seattle Police in January, May, and September 2023. Each time Henderson had more than a thousand fentanyl pills, and on two of the arrests he had loaded firearms. The jury deliberated about five hours before reaching the guilty verdict following a three-day trial. U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead has not yet scheduled a sentencing date. In the trial’s opening statement Assistant United States Attorney Jin Kim described how “Leon Henderson on the streets in his car was essentially a mobile office, from which he was selling drugs.” According to records filed in the case and testimony at trial, on January 25, 2023, Henderson was contacted at his car, parked outside the Park Plaza Motel on Aurora. He had $2770 cash in his pocket. When the car was searched, law enforcement found around 600 grams methamphetamine, 1,700 fentanyl pills, 200 grams of fentanyl powder, and a loaded pistol under the driver’s seat. Henderson’s DNA was on the pistol and on a second gun found in a bag with the narcotics. On May 5, 2023, in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, Henderson was contacted by Seattle Police and was found to have about 7,000 fentanyl pills, a firearm, and cash. And finally on September 13, 2023, Henderson was arrested in Ballard near a homeless encampment. Henderson possessed a backpack with nearly 10,000 fentanyl pills. In closing argument Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Manca noted that in the Ballard arrest police observed people coming and going to Henderson’s car window to purchase fentanyl pills “like he was selling coffee out of a drive-through.” Henderson faces a mandatory minimum 20 years for the crimes of conviction. Ten years for the drug possession counts and a consecutive five years for each of the drug-related firearm counts. Henderson was also found to illegally possess the firearms due to his previous felony convictions for promoting prostitution and felony harassment. The case was investigated by the Seattle Police and the FBI as part of an emphasis on crime in the North Aurora area. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives provided key assistance. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica Manca, Jin Kim, and Carolyn Forstein.


title: Jury Finds Man Guilty of First-Degree Murder for Killing a 13-Year-Old Young Boy

body_text: WASHINGTON – On November 19, 2025, a Superior Court jury returned guilty verdicts for Reginald Steele, Jr., 26, on charges of first degree murder while armed, several counts of assault with intent to kill while armed and other firearm related charges stemming from a homicide of a 13-year old young boy, Malachi Lukes, on March 1, 2020, and a separate shooting in the Petworth neighborhood on February 22, 2020, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine F. Pirro. Steele, along with four co-defendants—who were tried and convicted separately—is a member and associate of the neighborhood crews 3500, CHV, Rock Creek Church, Really Ready Gang, and 640. Between 2019-2020, the defendant’s neighborhood was feuding with street crews Ninth Street over who was the “Real NW Goon”—3500/Really Ready Gang member Tahlil Byrd, also known as Slatt Goon, or Ninth Street rapper Tyree Marshall, known as Slime Goon. The feud escalated when Slatt Goon was killed in Ninth Street territory, the 600 block of S Street NW, in September 2019. Five months later, on March 1, 2020, on an otherwise calm Sunday afternoon, Reginald Steele and three co-defendants drove to Ninth Street territory and circled the neighborhood looking for friends, members, and associates of Ninth Street. As they drove throughout the neighborhood in a stolen Kia Soul, they spotted 13-year-old Malachi Lukes who, along with his three teen friends, was walking towards the 600 block of S Street NW to play basketball. The defendants followed the boys, pulling into that 600 block of S Street and stopping by the mouth of an alley where Malachi and his friends had turned. Then, at approximately 2:08pm, the defendant and one of his confederates exited the stolen Kia Soul and fired 11 gunshots. Malachi Lukes was shot in the back as he fled. The bullet traveled through his heart and lung causing him to collapse to his death. Another boy was shot in the leg, and the remaining two escaped the barrage of bullets. The defendant and his confederates then traveled to another neighborhood where members of Ninth Street were known to gather and at 2:18 p.m., opened fire on individuals in that block. Fortunately, no one was injured in this shooting. The government’s case relied on largely circumstantial evidence such as surveillance videos, text messages, GPS data recovered from the stolen Kia Soul and other location and cell cite data. One of the key pieces of evidence the government presented, however, were the shell casings recovered from both March 1 shooting scenes. These casings were subsequently linked to another shooting on February 22, 2020, in the Petworth neighborhood. On that day, Steele and one of his co-defendants got into a verbal altercation with two individuals who lived in the area. Steele and his confederate then escalated this mere exchange of words and fired 11 gunshots causing the victims to flee for safety. The firearms evidence recovered from this shooting scene was consistent with the firearms evidence in both March 1, 2020 shooting scenes providing evidence of Steele’s identity and participation in all three shootings. Joining the announcement was Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), Lead Paralegal Sharon Newman who was assisted by Supervisory Paralegals Tasha Harris and April Urbanowski. U.S. Attorney Pirro also acknowledged Victim Witness Advocate Jennifer Allen, Supervisory Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington, Robert Cephas, and the entire Victim Witness Assistance Unit; Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Leif Hickling, Will Henderson, Charlie Bruce, and the Litigation Technology Unit; Office of E-Litigation Chief Emily Miller; Special Counsel for Discovery Chimnomnso Kalu for legal guidance; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF); Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); United States Marshal Service, D.C. Department of Forensic Sciences (DFS); U.S. Park Police; Montgomery County Police Department; DC Department of Corrections; and Assistant United States Attorneys Michelle Jackson, Tamara Rubb and Nebiyu Feleke for their critical efforts in prosecuting this case.


title: The Justice Department Files Complaint Challenging California Laws Providing In-State Tuition, Scholarships, and Subsidized Loans for Illegal Aliens

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: WASHINGTON – Today, The United States is challenging California laws providing in-state tuition, scholarships, and subsidized loans for illegal aliens. These laws unconstitutionally discriminate against U.S. citizens who are not afforded the same reduced tuition rates, scholarships, or subsidies, create incentives for illegal immigration, and reward illegal immigrants with benefits that U.S. citizens are not eligible for, all in direct conflict with federal law. “California is illegally discriminating against American students and families by offering exclusive tuition benefits for non-citizens,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This marks our third lawsuit against California in one week — we will continue bringing litigation against California until the state ceases its flagrant disregard for federal law.” The Department of Justice’s complaint is filed in the Eastern District of California against the State of California, Governor Newsom, the State Attorney General, and the Regents of the University of California, the Board of Trustees of the California State University, and the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges seeking to enjoin the State from enforcing the California laws and bring them into compliance with federal requirements. In the complaint, the United States seeks to enjoin enforcement of California laws that requires colleges and universities to provide in-state tuition rates for all aliens who maintain California residency, regardless of whether those aliens are lawfully present in the United States. Additionally, the complaint seeks to enjoin California from enforcing its so-called “California Dream Act” which affords scholarships and subsidized loans to illegal aliens. This lawsuit follows two executive orders signed by President Trump that seek to ensure illegal aliens are not obtaining taxpayer benefits or preferential treatment: “ Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders ” and “ Protecting American Communities From Criminal Aliens .” This lawsuit also follows similar tuition lawsuits in Texas , Kentucky , Illinois , Oklahoma , and Minnesota .


title: Dubuque Woman Sentenced to Prison for Her Role  in Methamphetamine Conspiracy

component: USAO - Iowa, Northern

body_text: Katie Kammerude, age 39, from Dubuque, Iowa, was sentenced on November 19, 2025, to over nine years in federal prison. Kammerude received the prison term after a June 3, 2025, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute over 500 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, and 50 grams of pure methamphetamine, commonly known as “ice.” Evidence at the sentencing showed that between July 2024 and September 9, 2024, defendant drove to Des Moines, Davenport, and Iowa City to pick up large amounts of methamphetamine. Kammerude then drove back to Dubuque, where she sold it to others. On three occasions, the police pulled Kammerude over. During the traffic stops, police found methamphetamine in Kammerude’s car. They found between several ounces to a couple of pounds of methamphetamine each stop. In total, Kammerude was responsible for over 5,000 grams of methamphetamine. Kammerude was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Kammerude was sentenced to 109 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ashley Corkery and Dillan Edwards, with the assistance of Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office, and Dubuque Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl . The case file number is 25-CR-1024. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.


title: Hammond Man Sentenced to 120 Months in Prison

body_text: HAMMOND- Yesterday, Kenneth Young, 52 years old, of Hammond, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor. Young was sentenced to 120 months in prison followed by 24 months of supervised release. According to documents in the case, on October 5, 2021, law enforcement attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Kenneth Young in Hammond, Indiana. Young initially pulled over, but when an officer approached his car, he sped off, leading to a chase. Young fled into Calumet City, Illinois, where he crashed into a car and fled on foot. During a search of the car, a loaded firearm with an obliterated serial number was recovered. Young’s criminal history revealed he was previously convicted of felonies, including being a felon in possession of a firearm, which prohibited him from possessing any firearm or ammunition. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force with assistance from the Hammond Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Caitlin M. Padula and Francis Sohn. 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: First defendant sentenced in multi-state family-based drug trafficking ring

body_text: Seattle – A 44-year-old Tacoma resident was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to seven years in prison for his high-level role in a multi-state drug trafficking conspiracy announced U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Michael Young Jr pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances on July 7, 2025. Young was a high-level member of a group that distributed more than 800,000 fentanyl pills throughout the United States, including in Arizona, Texas, Missouri, Montana, and Georgia. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead noted that fentanyl kills indiscriminately – experienced users, first time users, kids, and parents. “Every pill you moved was a loaded gun – the sentence needs to hold you accountable for the lives you endangered.” According to the indictment and other records in the case, the drug ring was led by Marquis Jackson, 32, who lived in both Atlanta and the Renton, Washington home of his parents, defendants Mandel Jackson, 51, and Matelita (Marty) Jackson, 50. Also linked to the Renton family home were defendants Markell Jackson, 22, and Miracle Patu-Jackson, 23. Members of the Jackson family are indicted for various conspiracy counts including drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracies. Records filed in the case link some of the Jacksons to a Seattle area street gang. Over the course of the investigation law enforcement seized more than 846,000 fentanyl pills, nearly 7 kilograms of fentanyl powder, 7 kilograms of cocaine and 29 firearms. They also seized more than $116,000 in cash. In Whatcom County, teams led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) arrested four people on criminal complaints for fentanyl distribution. According to the complaints, the Whatcom drug traffickers were linked by phone communication and surveillance to the Jackson drug trafficking organization. In September 2023, four tribal citizens in Whatcom County died of fentanyl overdose within a period of just four days, prompting the Lummi Indian Business Council to declare a state of emergency in response to the escalating fentanyl crisis. Tribal and federal partners examined the phone of one of the overdose victims and found connections to the Jackson Drug Trafficking Organization. DEA, the Whatcom Gang and Drug Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Bureau of Indian Affairs have continued to work closely with the Lummi Nation Police to identify additional members of this drug trafficking organization with the goal of stopping the flow of fentanyl into Indian Country and elsewhere. The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. These investigations and prosecutions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. This case is being investigated by the FBI, (Seattle, Phoenix, Atlanta, Kansas City, Dallas, Las Vegas, Montana), DEA (Seattle, Kansas City, Wichita, Montana), the Seattle Police Department, King County Sheriff’s Office, Whatcom Gang and Drug Task Force, the Lummi Police Department, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and United States Border Patrol Blaine Sector Targeting and Intelligence Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Zach Dillon, Crystal Correa, and Michael Harder.


title: Logansport Man Sentenced to 108 Months in Prison

body_text: HAMMOND- Yesterday, Jaysen K. Soberg, 39 years old, of Logansport, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to distributing methamphetamine, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor. Soberg was sentenced to 108 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, on March 5, 2024, Soberg sold methamphetamine to law enforcement. He later sold three rifles, three firearms, and two 30-round magazines to law enforcement on two different occasions. Soberg’s criminal history revealed he was previously convicted of felony burglary and theft. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Toth.


title: Wister Resident Sentenced To Life For 2023 Murder

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kendall Lee Forrester, age 36, of Wister, Oklahoma, was sentenced to a term of life in prison for one count of First Degree Murder in Indian Country, and 120 months in prison for one count of Use, Carry, Brandish and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. The sentences were ordered to run consecutively. The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police, and the Heavener Police. On February 27, 2025, a federal jury found Forrester guilty of the charges at trial. According to investigators, on October 31, 2023, Forrester shot and killed the victim with a single gunshot to the head at a LeFlore County residence within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation. Family members reported the victim missing after a receiving a suspicious text message from the victim’s cell phone and discovering the victim’s wallet, keys, and cell phone left behind at home after Forrester had told family members that he and the victim were out hunting. The victim’s body was discovered hours later, wrapped in plastic sheeting, stored in a chest that had been loaded into the victim’s SUV. Officers conducting a traffic stop on Forrester discovered a 9mm handgun, a magazine containing 9 rounds of ammunition, and a trash bag of freshly laundered clothes and towels in his car. A latent print on the plastic sheeting from the chest was a match to prints taken from Forrester. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Forrester will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jordan Howanitz and Dean Burris represented the United States.


title: Tulsa Resident Sentenced For Illegally Possessing Firearm And Ammunition

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Demarrio Lee Hannah, aka Demario Hannah, aka Mario Hannah, age 37, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 33 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police. On May 13, 2025, Hannah pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on June 22, 2024, law enforcement conducting a routine traffic stop on an SUV traveling north on Highway 69 near Atoka, Oklahoma, discovered Hannah in possession of a loaded Taurus G3 semi-automatic pistol. At the time of the stop, Hannah had been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment. 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. The Honorable John C. Coughenour, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing. Hannah will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.


title: Two Individuals Charged with Arson Inside a Local Business

body_text: BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal grand jury has indicted two individuals for starting a fire inside a business, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona. A two-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Lillian Jayne Colburn, 26, and Mercutio Terrell Southall, 41, both of Birmingham, Alabama, with arson and conspiring to provide material support to terrorists in connection with the arson. The arson occurred at the Walmart Supercenter located on Lakeshore Parkway in Homewood, Alabama on August 25, 2025. The FBI investigated the case along with the Homewood Police Department and the Irondale Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney W. Lee Gilmer is prosecuting the case. An indictment contains only charges. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty


title: Defendant Charged With Resisting Federal Law Enforcement Officers After Leading Officers on High-Speed Car Chase

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland announced it filed a criminal complaint against Cristian Rivas-Bonilla, 26, of El Salvador, charging him with resisting, opposing, impeding, and interfering with federal law enforcement officers. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the criminal complaint with Acting Special Agent in Charge Evan Campanella, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Baltimore. On November 4, 2025, HSI Baltimore Agents traveled to a Camp Springs, Maryland, address to search for Rivas-Bonilla. Rivas-Bonilla was subject to removal from the United States in connection with a final order of removal to El Salvador from an immigration judge. After observing Rivas-Bonilla get into a car at a residence, agents activated the emergency lights on their unmarked vehicles and attempted to conduct a vehicle stop to arrest Rivas-Bonilla. Two agents’ vehicles were behind Rivas-Bonilla and the other agent’s vehicle directly blocked his path of travel. Agents attempted to confirm Rivas-Bonilla’s identity before arresting him to transport him to the Baltimore Field Office for processing. Agents exited their vehicles and commanded Rivas-Bonilla to stop his car. The agents were clearly identifiable as law-enforcement officers as they wore tactical vests with police decals. Rivas-Bonilla reversed his vehicle and drove onto the sidewalk as he attempted to evade HSI agents. Agents then activated their emergency sirens and pursued him. Rivas-Bonilla continued to disregard agents’ emergency lights and sirens, causing a chase that reached speeds of approximately 70 miles per hour. One agent drove their vehicle directly in front of him, another agent drove their vehicle on the side of him, and the other agent drove their vehicle directly behind him in attempt to bring Rivas-Bonilla’s vehicle to a stop. But Rivas-Bonillaquickly swerved his vehicle to the right to avoid the agents’ attempt to slow him down. Rivas-Bonilla continued driving at high speeds as agents continued their efforts to bring his vehicle to a stop. Eventually, Rivas-Bonilla’s vehicle and two of the agents’ vehicles collided, allowing law enforcement to capture and arrest him. This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Baltimore comprises agents and officers from various federal, state, and local agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland. Additionally, this case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Rivas-Bonilla’s initial appearance was in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana on November 17, 2025. He is scheduled to return to the District of Maryland for further proceedings. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI for its work in this investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael C. Hanlon and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Mills who are prosecuting this case. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: CONVICTED FELON SENTENCED TO 100 MONTHS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR GUN CONVICTION

component: USAO - Louisiana, Middle

body_text: United States Attorney Kurt Wall announced that U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Edward Shaffett, age 33, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 100 months in federal prison following his conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The Court further sentenced Shaffett to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered the firearm involved be forfeited. According to admissions made during his plea, on July 22, 2022, Baton Rouge Police officers encountered a stolen 2013 Ford Explorer near 7200 Winbourne Avenue in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. When officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop, the vehicle initially fled. When the vehicle came to a stop, four people fled from the vehicle, with one being Shaffett who was holding a Noreen Firearms, .223 caliber, AR15. When apprehended, Shaffett was wearing a black ski-mask/balaclava and black gloves. Officers located the firearm along the path through which Shaffett fled. An extended AR15 magazine was located under the driver’s seat of the Ford Explorer. Video camera footage from a police unit depicts Shaffett fleeing from the Ford Explorer with an object in his hands consistent with the AR15. Shaffett was previously convicted of possession with intent to distribute oxycodone and attempted illegal felon in possession of a firearm on April 20, 2021, in the 19th Judicial District, and sentenced to three years in prison. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Baton Rouge Police Department, was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy S. Johnson.


title: BATON ROUGE MAN SENTENCED TO 180 MONTHS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR DRUG AND GUN CONVICTIONS

body_text: United States Attorney Kurt Wall announced that U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Mitchell Robinson, age 35, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 180 months in federal prison following his convictions possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, and tramadol; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The Court further sentenced Robinson to serve five years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered the firearms involved be forfeited. According to admissions made during his plea, on May 11, 2022, East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office deputies executed a “knock” search warrant at Robinson’s residence. In the kitchen, deputies found 2.17 grams of fentanyl, 218.3 grams of methamphetamine, 22.89 grams of methamphetamine, 56 suboxone 8mg/2mg prescription strips, manitol (narcotics cutting agent), 390 suspected tramadol pills inside the house, a digital scale, a Glock, model 17, 9mm handgun modified to be fully automatic, a Glock style 9mm handgun with no serial number, Glock style 30 round magazine, 9mm ammunition, and 4.01 pounds of suspected marijuana. In the attic, deputies found 884.1 grams of methamphetamine, 439.7 grams of methamphetamine, 194.46 grams of fentanyl, 3.12 pounds of suspected marijuana, 55.59 grams of heroin, and $25,960.00 in U.S. Currency. Robinson knowingly possessed all seized items in his home with the intent to distribute those narcotics to others. Robinson was previously convicted of simple burglary on September 8, 2010, in East Baton Rouge Parish and burglary of a dwelling and aggravated burglary on January 5, 2011, in Ascension Parish. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy S. Johnson.


title: HONDURAN NATIONALS INDICTED FOR SEX TRAFFICKING AND PROSTITUTION OFFENSES

body_text: United States Attorney Kurt Wall announced that a federal grand jury recently returned a five-count indictment charging Jesus Lopez, age 45, Zaira Lopez-Oliva, age 24, Kirsis Castellanos-Kirington, age 30, with conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, sex trafficking, and coercing and enticing another to travel interstate for prostitution. Each defendant is a Honduran national that is present in the United States without authorization. They appeared for their arraignments and pled not guilty to the pending charges. According to the criminal complaint that preceded the indictment, between May 2023 and continuing through October 9, 2025, the defendants used WhatsApp to send photographs of scantily clad women of various nationalities, advertising that they were available for commercial sex acts. They are also alleged to have transported young women from the New Orleans Airport back to the Middle District of Louisiana in furtherance of the sex trafficking operation. The defendants also created a “menu” advertisement on social media to solicit customers for commercial sex acts with those females. The females were allegedly threatened and feared harm if they left the apartments where the commercial sex acts took place. If convicted of the sex trafficking charges, each defendant faces a minimum of fifteen years and up to life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and five years of supervised release. They are also subject to removal or deportation from the United States upon completing any sentences imposed. This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security—Homeland Security Investigations, East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward H. Warner, who also serves as Deputy Criminal Chief, Assistant United States Attorney Stephen R. Vick, Jr., and Special Assistant United States Attorney Allen Ross. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury. The defendants are presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through a guilty plea.


title: TALLAHASSEE MAN SENTENCED FOR FENTANYL DISTRIBUTION

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Curtis Battle, 38, of Tallahassee, Florida, has been sentenced to a 15-year term of imprisonment for distribution of fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, “crack” cocaine, and marijuana. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the sentence. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Deadly fentanyl continues to have a devastating impact on communities across the Northern District of Florida and nationwide, but our state and federal law enforcement partners remain committed to aggressively targeting and removing the peddlers of this poison from our streets. My office stands ready to back up those law enforcement efforts with the full force of the law, and this successful prosecution and substantial sentence is yet another step toward fulfilling the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi that we will Take Back America from the drug traffickers who have flooded our streets with deadly drugs.” Law enforcement conducted a series of controlled drug purchases directly from the defendant, then executed a federal search warrant at his Tallahassee, Florida residence. During the search, law enforcement seized quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, “crack” cocaine, and marijuana, along with paraphernalia consistent with drug trafficking and $15,000 in currency that was identified as proceeds of drug sales. “Peddling these poisons in our communities will not be tolerated,” said DEA Miami Field Division Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter. “DEA will continue to make removing these bad actors a top priority.” The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Tallahassee Police Department, and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric K Mountin. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Koide Tennessee, Inc. Pays $2M To Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating To Second-Draw PPP Loan

component: USAO - Tennessee, Eastern

body_text: KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Koide Tennessee, Inc. (“Koide TN”) has paid $2,000,000.00 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by applying for, receiving, and obtaining forgiveness of a loan under the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) for which it was not eligible. Congress created the PPP in March 2020, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, to provide relief to small businesses experiencing economic hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits, and Venues Act (“Economic Aid Act”), enacted on December 27, 2020, subsequently authorized the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) to guarantee second-draw PPP loans. To be eligible for second-draw PPP loans, borrowers were required to have no more than 300 employees, among other requirements. On May 21, 2020, the SBA published an Interim Final Rule clarifying that affiliated foreign employees were to be included when a borrower calculated their total number of employees for purposes of determining PPP loan eligibility. Koide TN applied for and received a second-draw PPP loan in March 2021 and later obtained forgiveness of that loan. The United States contends that Koide TN was ineligible for the second-draw PPP loan because it and its affiliates collectively employed more than 300 employees. The United States further contends that Koide TN made certain false statements in its applications for the loan and forgiveness thereof, including falsely certifying that it, together with its affiliates, employed no more than 300 employees. This Settlement resolves a lawsuit under the qui tam , or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the government for false claims and receive a share of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. GNGH2, Inc. v. Koide Tennessee Inc. , No. 3:24-CV-336 (E.D. Tenn.). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexa Ortiz Hadley and Ben Cunningham represented the United States, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel. “The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was designed to support small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III. “Our office remains committed to working with SBA and other federal partners to recover from those who disregarded program requirements and obtained funds they were not entitled to.” “SBA remains firmly committed to pursuing identified perpetrators of fraud on the Paycheck Protection Program,” said SBA's General Counsel Wendell Davis. “This settlement shows the excellent results from coordinated SBA and DOJ efforts to investigate and combat fraud in pandemic relief programs. SBA continues its enhanced efforts to recover funds on behalf of the American taxpayers.” Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form. The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. ###


title: Laurel County Man Sentenced for Distributing Child Pornography

component: USAO - Kentucky, Eastern

body_text: LONDON, Ky. – A London, Ky., man and former paramedic, Bradley Callahan, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom to 162 months in prison, for the distribution of child pornography. According to his plea agreement, in September 2023, Callahan distributed child pornography by making several posts to a dark web child pornography marketplace, which contained links to videos of child pornography. Included in the links were several explicit videos of child pornography. Under federal law, Callahan must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years. Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; and Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Louisville Field Office, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. – END –


title: ILLEGAL ALIEN PLEADS GUILTY TO UNLAWFULLY POSSESSING A FIREARM AND AMMUNITION

body_text: GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Camerino Perez Perez, 41, a/k/a “Squirrel,” a Mexican citizen, pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm and ammunition as an alien unlawfully in the United States. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the excellent work by our state and federal law enforcement partners, and another successful prosecution by my office, this violent illegal alien faces federal prison for violating our nation’s public safety laws, and will be swiftly deported thereafter. President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi have unleashed the full force of our law enforcement resources when they promised to Take Back America from violent illegal aliens who think they can violate our federal laws with impunity, and my office intends to make good on that promise to keep our communities safe.” Court documents reflect that on May 25, 2025, the defendant was holding a loaded rifle when law enforcement responded to a residence in Levy County for a domestic disturbance call. The defendant had to be tased after he refused to comply with law enforcement’s instructions to drop the firearm and then flipped a table towards the law enforcement on scene. After the defendant was detained, law enforcement found an additional twenty-four rounds of ammunition in his pocket. The defendant is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition because he entered the United States illegally and was not authorized to remain in the United States. The case involved a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Levy County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner. Sentencing is set for January 13, 2026, at 2 pm in Gainesville, Florida, before Chief District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor. The defendant faces a maximum of fifteen years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to 35 Years in Federal Prison for  Sexual Exploitation of a South Dakota Minor

component: USAO - South Dakota

body_text: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Bellevue, Nebraska, man convicted of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity, and Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on October 27, 2025. Sean Carlos Payne, 34, was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $300 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Payne was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2024. He pleaded guilty on April 22, 2025. Payne was originally charged by Criminal Complaint on October 21, 2024, after the Meade County Sheriff’s Office received an emergent report of a missing 13-year-old female. It was discovered that Payne groomed the girl for multiple weeks leading up to her disappearance using online applications including Teen Chat, Discord, and Snapchat. During Payne’s communications with the child, Payne persuaded her to send him sexually explicit images of herself. Payne repeatedly sexually assaulted the victim in South Dakota and took her across state lines to Wyoming. There, Payne fled a traffic stop initiated by a law enforcement officer who was on the lookout for the missing child. Payne led multiple state and local Wyoming law enforcement officers on a high-speed pursuit with the child in his vehicle before being captured. Payne told the victim he intended to take her to California. Payne, who had been convicted of attempted enticement of a minor in Iowa in June 2024, was a convicted sex offender in violation of his felony probation and the national sex offender registry at the time he began communicating with the victim. “Thanks to swift, coordinated action by a team of dedicated law enforcement personnel, this is one horror story that ends with a multi-decade sentence for this egregious offender,” said U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons. "Payne's heinous crimes shattered a child's innocence and left them with unimaginable pain and trauma," said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. "Protecting our children is our greatest duty and privilege as law enforcement. Payne's sentence highlights our enduring commitment to that mission. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will stop at nothing to secure justice for victims and let predators know they will face the full weight of the law." “The protection of our youth is, and always will be, a top priority for the Meade County Sheriff’s Office. I am proud of our team’s efforts and the partnerships that made it possible to bring this dangerous individual to justice and to reunite the juvenile with their family. Our children will always come first. I extend my sincere gratitude to everyone whose dedication led to the successful resolution of this case,” said Meade County Sheriff Pat West. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Meade County Sheriff’s Office, the Wyoming Highway Patrol, the Rawlins, Wyoming Police Department, and the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case. Payne was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.


title: ILLEGAL ALIEN PLEADS GUILTY TO POSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY, ILLEGAL REENTRY AFTER PRIOR DEPORTATION

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Marco Gonzalez-Oliva, 25, of Honduras, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of child pornography and illegal reentry by a removed alien. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I truly appreciate the hard work by our state and federal law enforcement partners to investigate and help bring this criminal illegal alien to justice. My office will aggressively prosecute offenders who perpetuate the cycle of victimization that exists whenever child sexual abuse material is accessed and distributed, and we will seek maximum punishment for those who exploit the most vulnerable members of our communities.” Court documents reflect that in March 2024, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant related to CyberTips generated by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The defendant was located at the Fort Walton Beach residence. Pursuant to the search warrant, law enforcement found videos and photographs of child pornography on the defendant’s cellular telephone. During the investigation, the defendant was identified as a native and citizen of Honduras, who was previously deported from the United States in April of 2023. The defendant faces a maximum of ten years of imprisonment on the child pornography charge and a maximum two years’ imprisonment on the illegal reentry charge. The case involved a joint investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton. Sentencing is scheduled for January 8, 2026, at 1:00 pm at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II. 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 and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it 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.projectsafechildhood.gov . This case is also part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Pagan’s Motorcycle Club Member Sentenced for Armed Assault Against Rival

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court yesterday for his involvement in an armed assault against a member of a rival motorcycle club. Brandon S. Hodge, also known as “Youngblood,” 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 57 months in federal prison without parole for assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering. On Sept. 17, 2022, Hodge and 12 other members of the Pagan’s and their support club chased and forced a lone rival gang member from the road in Blue Springs, Mo. Various members of the Pagan’s and their support club were armed with firearms and at least one axe handle. Hodge, who was a Pagan’s prospect at the time, and the others confronted the victim on the side of the roadway and ultimately, the victim was shot seven times, with wounds to their knee, thigh, forearm, biceps, buttocks, and back of their leg. Hodge and several others fled the scene before law enforcement arrived. Following this event, several members, including Hodge, were awarded club patches for their participation. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley K. Kavanaugh and Robert Smith. It was investigated by the FBI, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Blue Springs, Mo., Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department. Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . ### For additional information regarding this case: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmo/pr/three-pagans-motorcycle-club-members-pleaded-guilty-armed-assaults-against-rivals


title: St. Louis County Man Who Shot at Police Sentenced to 22 Years in Prison

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Tuesday sentenced a man who shot at multiple St. Louis County police officers in 2024 to 22 years in prison. Dylan Farmer, 21, of Breckenridge Hills, Missouri, pleaded guilty in June to four counts of assaulting a law enforcement officer and two counts of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. He admitted firing first at officers with the St. Louis County Police Department Special Response Unit (SRU) who were trying to find someone wanted in connection with a double homicide. On Feb. 13, 2024, a vehicle associated with that wanted person was parked in the 4500 block of Virginia Avenue in St. Louis. When Farmer unlocked the vehicle and got in, officers converged to detain him. All officers wore vests marked “Police,” and three of their vehicles were equipped with blue flashing emergency lights. The officers were also designated as task force officers with the U.S. Marshals Service and the FBI. As three officers pulled up in their SUV, Farmer immediately opened fire with a .45-caliber semiautomatic handgun equipped with a 50-round drum magazine, damaging the SUV. Officers returned fire. Farmer then ran across the street and between some buildings, where he fired one shot at an officer. He then ran down an alley and fired multiple times at a different officer, who ducked behind a dumpster. Farmer hid on the front porch of a house in the 4500 block of Alaska Avenue. When officers drove down the street and spotted Farmer, he opened fire again, damaging their vehicle, and officers again returned fire. Farmer surrendered after suffering multiple gunshot wounds. Officers treated his wounds and summoned an ambulance to take him to the hospital. One officer was injured when a bullet ricocheted off a vehicle’s window, causing glass to fly into his eye. Another’s ankle was injured when he jumped out of his car to seek cover. The St. Louis County Police Department, the FBI, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul D’Agrosa prosecuted the case.


title: MADISON MAN SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR RECEIPT OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

body_text: TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Brian Scott Rupe, 40, formerly of Madison, Florida, was sentenced to five years in federal prison for receipt of child pornography. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Accessing and distributing child sexual abuse material has the effect of re-victimizing the minors exploited in those horrific images and videos each and every time they are viewed. Stopping that cycle of victimization remains one of my office’s top priorities, and we will continue to aggressively prosecute to the fullest extent of the law the sick individuals who peddle in child porn.” Court documents reflect that in July 2024, an investigation into the defendant began when law enforcement discovered the defendant appeared to be sharing child pornography using a peer-to-peer network. Following a search of his residence, the defendant admitted to viewing and downloading child pornography. Law enforcement seized the defendant’s cell phone and conducted a forensic examination of it. A search of the phone revealed approximately 3,000 illegal images and videos. The defendant’s imprisonment will be followed by ten years of supervised release. Additionally, the defendant was ordered to pay $75,000 in restitution to victims and he will be required to register as a sex offender. “The discovery of a 3,000-image collection of vile imagery and videos in this case highlights the depravity of this individual’s actions,” said HSI Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “This sentencing underscores HSI’s dedication to protecting children from predators who exploit and victimize them. Through the relentless work of our agents and law enforcement partners, we have ensured that this predator is held accountable and removed from our communities. HSI will continue to pursue those who prey on the most vulnerable members of our society with unwavering resolve.” The case involved a joint investigation by the Leon County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith L. Steer. 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 and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it 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.projectsafechildhood.gov . The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .