title: Everett, Washington Man who Used a Pipe Bomb to Blow Up Black Couple’s Car Sentenced to Five Years in Prison

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: A 55-year-old Everett, Washington man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to five years in prison for three federal felonies including a pipe bomb explosion that destroyed a neighbor’s car. Steven Goldstine pleaded guilty in September 2025, to unlawful possession of a destructive device; unlawful possession of ammunition; and unlawful possession of a firearm. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge John H. Chun said “This case involves serious and quite frankly horrifying conduct. Add in the racist statements it is disgusting conduct.” “Fueled by hatred for a neighbor’s race, the defendant used a pipe bomb to cause an explosion and destroy property,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. “This sentence reflects the Department of Justice’s steadfast commitment to vigorously prosecute racially motivated crimes and ensure perpetrators are held accountable.” “This defendant turned his racial hatred into a potentially deadly explosion, using a pipe bomb to blow up a car. Not everything is a hate crime, but we believe this defendant acted on racial hatred,” said U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd for the Western District of Washington. “After the bombing he called the victims to gloat, leaving a message with racial slurs. This time in prison will protect our community.” “After years of hateful and violent behavior, Mr. Goldstine is now being sentenced for exploding his neighbors’ car, bragging about it, and leaving an offensive message for the victims,” said Special Agent in Charge W. Mike Herrington of the FBI Seattle Field Office. “Thankfully, no one was hurt in this incident, which could well have killed someone. Together with our partners, the Puget Sound Joint Terrorism Task Force will not stand for such violent intimidation and will remain vigilant in combatting such dangerous acts.” “No one should fear violence based on their beliefs or identity, and terror motivated by hate will not be tolerated,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric Jackson of the ATF Seattle Field Division. “This sentence reflects our commitment to investigate and prosecute reprehensible, hate-fueled acts of violence to the fullest extent of the law.” “The violence and hatred behind this crime had no place in Everett, and our detectives worked closely with our federal partners to ensure a thorough investigation and a strong case,” said Everett Police Chief John DeRousse. “The victim in this incident showed resilience in the face of a senseless act meant to intimidate and divide. We are grateful for the collaboration with the FBI, ATF, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office that ultimately brought accountability and helped reinforce that everyone in our community deserves to feel safe.” According to records filed in the case, on Dec. 31, 2024, Everett Police responded to reports of an explosion in a car parked at an apartment complex. The victims told police they suspected Goldstine due to a conflict they had with him. The day after the explosion they received a voice message from Goldstine using racial slurs and referencing the explosion in the vehicle. The police investigation used video surveillance from the victim’s apartment and nearby businesses to link the bomber to clothing found at Goldstine’s home. The investigation also led to the guilty pleas and sentencing for two other federal crimes: unlawful possession of ammunition and unlawful possession of a firearm. Goldstine is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to prior felony convictions for burglary, arson, and possession of stolen property. Goldstine illegally possessed more than 700 rounds of ammunition which were seized from his home when it was searched following the pipe bomb explosion. Previously, in September 2020, law enforcement searched Goldstine’s residence after he pointed a gun at protestors in Everett. The action was captured on video. In that search of Goldstine’s home, the firearm was seized by law enforcement. In asking for a 78 month prison sentence prosecutors wrote to the court, “Goldstine has a deeply troubling history of violence, dating back to several serious convictions for arson in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. Violence has remained a consistent part of his life over the past five years, from assaulting a neighbor and fighting with police in 2019, to pointing a gun at protestors in 2020 to making death threats on YouTube in 2022… to bombing (the victim’s) car at the end of December 2024.” Judge Chun ordered Goldstine to be on three years of supervised release following prison. For one of those years he ordered that Goldstine be on electronic location monitoring. The case was investigated by the Everett Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the FBI. The Snohomish County Prosecutors Office provided valuable assistance. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica M. Manca for the Western District of Washington and Trial Attorney Taylor Payne of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.


title: Old Saybrook Man Convicted in 2018 of Tax Fraud Offenses Sentenced to Additional Prison Time for Violating Supervised Release

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, announced that DAVID ADAMS, 65, of Old Saybrook, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to nine months of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his supervised release. According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 27, 2018, Adams was sentenced in Hartford federal court to 90 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for failing to pay more than $4.8 million in federal income taxes over the course of more than 20 years. He was released from prison in April 2024. While on supervised release, Adams failed to pay restitution as ordered, and failed to disclose to the U.S. Probation Office his access to a bank account that he used to spend more than $100,000 attending UConn basketball games and other live sporting events, eating at expensive restaurants, going on shopping sprees, and providing money to a friend. After Adams admitted to the violations, Judge Bolden revoked his supervised release and sentenced him to nine months of imprisonment with no supervised release to follow. Adams is required to report to prison on January 12. Adams’ criminal history includes two additional federal convictions. In 1986, he was convicted of credit card fraud for submitting more than $588,000 in fraudulent credit card sales drafts through his floral business over a three-month period in 1985. In 1992, he was convicted of failing to file tax returns for the 1984 through 1986 tax years. This matter was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan L. Wines.


title: Maine Man Sentenced for Child Exploitation Offense

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Maine man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for possessing child sex abuse materials. Chief U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Steven W. Freeman , 47, to 20 years in prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Freeman pleaded guilty on June 12, 2025. According to court records, in July 2024, federal and state law enforcement officers executed search warrants following reports that Freeman had possessed child sexual abuse material. Investigators seized Freeman’s cellular telephone and a forensic examination of that phone revealed hundreds of child sexual abuse images. Freeman has a previous conviction in Sagadahoc County in 2003 for gross sexual assault. Homeland Security Investigations and the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child sexual abuse material: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as “child pornography” – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678 . If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741 . Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc . ###


title: Former Postal Employee Convicted of Mail Theft

body_text: PORTLAND, Maine: A Farmingdale woman pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Portland to theft of mail by a postal employee. According to court records, Shannon Littlefield , 29, stole cash and gift cards from greeting cards entrusted to her at the Auburn Post Office. Littlefield worked as a Service and Distribution Clerk at the Auburn Post Office from May 2016 through March 2025. In March 2025, Littlefield was observed on surveillance footage on three different dates removing mail from mail bins and placing it under her clothing. When investigators with the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General questioned Littlefield about her conduct, she confessed that she had been stealing mail for approximately eight months. Littlefield admitted that she would open greeting cards and steal cash or gift cards enclosed in the greeting cards. Littlefield faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a maximum term of supervised release of three years. She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General investigated the case. ###


title: Medical Software Company Agrees to Pay $500,000 to Resolve Allegations of Causing Medically Unnecessary Breast Cancer Screening Claims

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – PenRad Technologies, Inc. (PenRad), a software company headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., has agreed to pay $529,069 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by causing health care providers to bill Medicare and MassHealth for medically unnecessary breast cancer screenings. PenRad’s software allowed health care providers to use the Tyrer-Cusick risk calculator to assess patients’ breast cancer risk. The Tyrer-Cusick model is a publicly available risk-assessment tool that health care providers use to calculate patients’ risk of developing breast cancer and to make treatment decisions. The risk calculator, which was developed by researchers unaffiliated with PenRad, allows a user the option of either calculating a patient’s risk score by enabling or disabling “competing mortality.” If enabled, competing mortality considers the risk that the patient will die from something other than breast cancer. The Tyrer-Cusick documentation recommended that, in a clinical setting, competing mortality be enabled. At the time it released its Series 7 software, PenRad was aware that the Tyrer-Cusick documentation recommended enabling competing mortality in clinical settings, and internally, PenRad recommended to employees the enabling of competing mortality. However, if PenRad customers upgraded to Series 7 in subsequent years and added the Tyrer-Cusick risk calculator function, PenRad sometimes installed the Tyrer-Cusick risk calculator with competing mortality disabled for that customer and did not consistently communicate to its customers when enabling the Tyrer-Cusick risk calculator that competing mortality should be enabled. At least one PenRad customer unknowingly using the calculator with competing mortality disabled led to some patients receiving elevated risk scores, which caused those patients to receive medically unnecessary Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRIs). Healthcare providers billed some of those medically unnecessary MRIs to Medicare and MassHealth. As part of the settlement, PenRad admitted, acknowledged, and accepted responsibility for the facts supporting the settlement. The settlement credits PenRad for cooperation under the Department of Justice’s Guidelines for Taking Voluntary Disclosure, Cooperation and Remediation into Account in False Claims Act Matters. The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The relator will receive a portion of today’s settlement. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Community Health Programs, Inc. v. PenRad Technologies, Inc., No. 22-cv-10680-MGM (D. Mass.). United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. LaMacchia, Chief of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit, handled the matter, along with Assistant Attorney General Scott Grannemann, Medicaid Fraud Division at the Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General.


title: Former National Park Service Employee Sentenced, Ordered to Repay $249,000 Stolen from Camping, Cave Fees

component: USAO - Missouri, Eastern

body_text: CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Monday sentenced a former employee of the National Park Service to five years of probation and ordered her to repay $249,000 in campsite and tour fees that she stole from 2019 to 2023. Lisa Figge was a supervisory visitor use assistant at the Ozark National Scenic Riverways at the time. Figge’s job duties included collecting fees for guided tours of Round Spring Cave and collecting cash in envelopes placed in metal drop boxes at campsites known as “Iron Rangers.” From 2019-2023, Figge stole some of the cash and deposited it into her own account. On Aug. 28, 2023, Figge was caught on video counting cash and stealing $1,200. Figge was then spotted stopping at her own bank before traveling to the bank that the Park Service used. In an interview with investigators later that day, Figge admitted stealing money from the cave tour program and the fee collection program, including directly from Iron Rangers. Figge said she altered records and created a false deposit report to hide her crime. Figge told investigators that she did not keep records of how much money she had stolen, but the parties agreed that the amount of provable loss to the Park Service exceeded $200,000. Figge has already repaid $100,000 of the money. Figge, 45, pleaded guilty in September in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau to one count of theft of government property. "The extent of this theft from the National Park Service is alarming," said Katie Balestra, Special Agent in Charge for the Department of the Interior Office of Inspector General (DOI-OIG). "We are committed to identifying and investigating this type of unlawful behavior that erodes the public’s trust.” The DOI-OIG investigated the case with the assistance of the National Park Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Hahn is prosecuting the case.


title: Silver Spring Man Convicted of Federal Cyberstalking

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Greenbelt, Maryland – After a two-week trial, a federal jury convicted Jason Michael Leidel, 45, of Silver Spring, Maryland, on one count of cyberstalking. Leidel is an active Lieutenant Commander in the Navy. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the conviction with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Greg Thompson, U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT OIG) – Mid-Atlantic Region; Special Agent in Charge Hanna Porterfield, Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) – Washington, D.C. Field Office; Chief Marc R. Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD); and Chief Paul Neudigate, Virginia Beach Police Department (VBPD). According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on multiple occasions, Leidel sent emails with false allegations to get Victim 1, his ex-wife, fired from her job as a special education teacher at a public school. Additionally, Leidel sent emails trying to get his ex-wife and their children evicted from their house. He also repeatedly filed false child protective services claims against Victim 1. When Victim 1 started dating someone new, Victim 2, Leidel filed false claims, stating that Victim 2 was abusing children. Then Leidel repeatedly emailed Victim 2’s supervisors with false claims to get him investigated and fired. Leidel harassed Victim 1 and Victim 2 for several years until law enforcement arrested him in connection with this case. Leidel faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Honorable Lydia Kay Griggsby scheduled sentencing for Thursday, March 12, 2026. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, DOT OIG, NCIS, MCPD, and VBPD. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chris Sarma and Ken Clark, who are prosecuting the federal case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Two Huntington Men Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl Crimes

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Today, Anthony Jackson, also known as “Snake,” 59, of Huntington, was sentenced to three years of probation with six months of home confinement, for distribution of a quantity of fentanyl and Brian Lee Moore, also known as “Pooter,” 38, of Huntington, was sentenced to seven years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for aiding and abetting the distribution of a quantity of fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 8, 2025, Jackson and Moore took part in the sale of approximately 3.28 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant located at a 10th Avenue apartment in Huntington. As part of their guilty pleas, Moore admitted that he provided the fentanyl to Jackson and Jackson admitted that he distributed it to the confidential informant. As part of their guilty pleas, Jackson and Moore each admitted to additional criminal conduct. Jackson admitted that between January 11, 2024, and July 3, 2024, he distributed a total of 78.16 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant on eight different occasions. Moore admitted to providing a total of 67.09 grams of fentanyl for six of those transactions. On August 6, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the 10th Avenue apartment and seized approximately 338.34 grams of a substance containing fentanyl, the fentanyl analogue fluorofentanyl, heroin, and xylazine, a veterinary tranquilizer also known as “tranq.” Officers also seized approximately $1,130, a Taurus Model G2C 9mm pistol and a Springfield Model MDM pistol during the search. Jackson and Moore each admitted they were in the apartment during the search. Jackson admitted that he was at the apartment to receive fentanyl to distribute. Moore admitted that he was at the apartment to provide fentanyl for distribution and further admitted that he possessed the seized firearms and cash. On August 9, 2025, officers executed a search warrant for a safe deposit box at a bank in Huntington and seized approximately $50,000. Moore admitted that he possessed the seized cash and that it was proceeds from drug distributions. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentences. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-156.


title: Four Defendants Arrested for Alleged Anti-Capitalist and Anti-Government Plot to Bomb U.S. Companies on New Year’s Eve

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: Four members of an anti-capitalist and anti-government group that calls for violence against U.S. officials have been arrested for allegedly plotting to attack two U.S. companies with improvised explosive devices (IEDs) this New Year’s Eve. “The Turtle Island Liberation Front — a far-left, pro-Palestine, anti-government, and anti-capitalist group — was preparing to conduct a series of bombings against multiple targets in California beginning on New Year’s Eve. The group also planned to target ICE agents and vehicles,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This was an incredible effort by our U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the FBI to ensure Americans can live in peace. We will continue to pursue these terror groups and bring them to justice.” “The charges made public today show the FBI and our partners disrupted a dangerous New Year's Eve plot to simultaneously target two U.S. companies with multiple explosive devices,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The defendants allegedly acquired materials to construct the devices, planned to test them in the Mojave Desert, and used encrypted communications in an attempt to evade detection, but thanks to the FBI and our partners those efforts failed. The FBI is committed to keeping our homeland safe and making sure those who attempt violent acts face justice.” “These arrests mark the disruption of a dangerous conspiracy to spread fear and terror across Southern California and the United States on New Year’s Eve, as well as to conduct future attacks targeting federal officers. This country protects the right to hold extreme views about its past, present, and future, but violence is an unmistakable and enforceable line,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “The National Security Division is committed to investigating and prosecuting those who cross that line.” “Working together, federal and local law enforcement prevented a domestic terrorist attack from occurring this New Year’s Eve in Southern California,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “Far-left anti-government extremist groups seeking to destroy the American way of life will never prevail and will always face the full force of the law.” The following defendants were arrested Friday in the Mojave Desert and are charged with conspiracy and possession of an unregistered destructive device: Audrey Illeene Carroll, 30, also known as Asiginaak, of South Los Angeles; Zachary Aaron Page, 32, also known as AK, of Torrance; Dante Gaffield, 24, also known as Nomad, of South Los Angeles; and Tina Lai, 41, also known as Kickwhere, of Glendale. The defendants are scheduled to make their initial appearances this afternoon in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles. According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, Carroll is a member of the Turtle Island Liberation Front (TILF), a group that, according to its social media page, is dedicated to “liberation through decolonization and tribal sovereignty” and for the working class to rise up and fight back against capitalism. “Turtle Island” is a term used by some Native Americans to describe the North American continent, and the group has promoted anti-capitalist, anti-government sentiment by posting on social media advocating violence against U.S. officials. In late November 2025, Carroll provided to co-conspirators an eight-page handwritten document titled, “Operation Midnight Sun,” which described a bombing plot. The plan called for backpacks with bombs to be simultaneously detonated at five or more locations targeting two U.S. companies at midnight this New Year’s Eve in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area. The plan stated that the “ieds” (improvised explosive devices) would be “complex pipe bombs,” included instructions on how to manufacture the bombs, and included guidance to avoid leaving evidence behind that could be traced back to the co-conspirators. As the co-conspirators plotted their attack, Carroll acknowledged what they were planning to do would be “considered a terrorist act.” Carroll and fellow TILF member Page recruited other co-conspirators to the plot, including Gaffield and Lai. The co-conspirators took numerous steps toward executing the bombing plot, including acquiring bomb-making materials and traveling to a remote location in the Mojave Desert to construct and detonate test bombs on December 12. While in the desert, the co-conspirators took steps to begin construction of the devices, including unloading the bomb-making materials from their cars and beginning to assemble the materials on a table. They also constructed a tent to keep the bomb materials shaded from the sun, wiped down the interior of one of the pipes used for the bombs, and Carroll discussed grinding a precursor for use in an explosive powder. FBI agents then intervened and arrested the defendants before they completed assembling a functional bomb. If convicted, the defendants would face a statutory maximum penalty of five years in federal prison on the conspiracy count and up to 10 years in federal prison on the unregistered destructive device possession count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating this matter. Considerable assistance was provided by the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, and the Palm Springs Police Department. FBI field offices in Boston, Buffalo, and New Orleans are also providing assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ian V. Yanniello, Amanda B. Elbogen, and Daniel H. Weiner for the Central District of California are prosecuting this case, with assistance from Trial Attorney Patrick Cashman of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: American Distillation Pleads Guilty After Releasing Pollution into the Cape Fear River

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: NC DOC NEW BERN, N.C. – American Distillation, Inc. (ADI) pleaded guilty to knowingly discharging tert-Butyl alcohol and other pollutants into the Cape Fear River in violation of the federal Clean Water Act. ADI is a chemical processing company located in Navassa, outside of Wilmington. The company’s owner, Andrew J. Simmons, Jr., also pleaded guilty to failing to pay federal taxes. These guilty pleas follow an earlier guilty plea by ADI’s former plant manager, Barry Darnell White, to discharging pollutants into the Cape Fear River in violation of the Clean Water Act on ADI’s behalf. “This was not an accident, and it was not a paperwork violation,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “ADI deliberately decided to dump harmful chemicals into a North Carolina river to increase profits. When corporations choose pollution over safety, we will hold them criminally accountable and enforce the law without hesitation.” “The Cape Fear River features diverse habitats, from freshwater streams to a vital saltwater estuary, supporting rare aquatic species and old-growth forests. The company’s multi-year illegal discharges of industrial waste poses a serious threat to the River’s water quality and is harmful to ecosystems,” said Chuck Carfagno, Special Agent in Charge of the EPA's criminal enforcement program in North Carolina. “Today’s guilty plea demonstrates that the EPA and its partner agencies are committed to protecting the environment and pursuing those who threaten our natural resources.” “The defendant willfully engaged in a long pattern of violations of the internal revenue laws,” said Special Agent in Charge Donald “Trey” Eakins, Charlotte Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation. “Tax evasion is not a victimless crime, it affects every American by stealing resources vital to fund schools, maintain public infrastructure, and enhance social welfare.” “The defendant’s alleged repeated dumping of chemical-laden wastewater into North Carolina rivers and streams was a brazen violation of the Clean Water Act that defrauded the EPA and endangered communities that rely on those waters,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Keith Squires of the Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General. “Today’s action shows the EPA OIG’s firm commitment to working with our partners to defend our waterways and hold violators fully accountable when they attempt to profit at the expense of human health and the environment." According to the information presented in court, ADI was incorporated in 1992 to make and sell industrial grade ethyl alcohol. ADI regularly accepts large quantities of tert-Butyl alcohol (TBOH) from its customers. TBOH is highly flammable, colorless oily liquid with a sharp alcohol odor. TBOH is a pollutant that constitutes a solid waste, chemical waste, and an industrial waste under the law. During distillation, ADI created and stored byproducts in an approximately 250,000-gallon storage tank (known as Tank 14), which regularly stored liquid wastewater that included TBOH, isopropyl alcohol, and acetone mixed with water. ADI’s EPA-issued permit required ADI to properly dispose of TBOH byproduct, but beginning in late 2019 through 2024, ADI accepted more TBOH and other chemicals from its customers than it could legally and safely process and remove. From 2020 to 2024, five to six times per year, White released approximately 2,500 gallons of liquid wastewater from Tank 14 by connecting a hose that drained into a nearby pipe that drained directly to the Cape Fear River. ADI released TBOH byproduct from Tank 14 into the Cape Fear River to ensure maximum profits without ceasing operations. ADI management had informed some employees that if operations came to a halt, the company would suffer serious financial harm, potentially including dissolution. Congress enacted the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, referred to as the Clean Water Act (CWA) in 1948 and amended it substantially in 1972 to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation’s waters. In addition, the CWA prevents, reduces, and eliminates water pollution in the United States to conserve the Waters of the United States for the protection and propagation of fish and aquatic life and wildlife, for recreational purposes, and for the use of such waters for public drinking water, agricultural, and industrial purposes. The CWA prohibits the discharge of pollutants into the waters of the United States from any point source without a permit issued under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (“NPDES”). The discharge of any pollutant by any person is unlawful except in compliance with such a permit. Under the CWA, the EPA may delegate the authority to states to implement and enforce NPDES permits to states. The EPA delegated such authority in 1975 to North Carolina. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Beraka is prosecuting the case. The EPA Criminal Investigation Division, EPA Office of Inspector General, and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:25-CR-00097-FL.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office announces results of “Operation Safe Christmas”

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

body_text: FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois announced Monday the results of a fugitive roundup effort jointly handled by federal and state law enforcement agencies. The operation resulted in 63 arrests of criminal offenders and seized 2.5 pounds of narcotics and $15,000 in U.S. currency. The coordinated effort was executed over seven days by law enforcement officials with the U.S. Marshals Service for the Southern District of Illinois, FBI Springfield, Illinois State Police, ATF Chicago and DEA St. Louis. “The U.S. Marshals led this expansive operation in the field together with FBI and Illinois State Police leadership. Together, federal, state, and local partners arrested 63 fugitives—including the Marshal Service’s arrest of the suspect from the December 5, 2025, Granite City police shooting,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “These results reflect weeks of planning and coordination to remove criminal elements from our streets.” Arrests spanned over Bond, Effingham, Fayette, Madison and St. Clair counties in Illinois and Atlanta, Georgia. “The U.S. Marshals Service Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force, Southern District of Illinois, proudly participated in “Operation Safe Christmas”, an initiative focused on enhancing public safety and apprehending dangerous fugitives. The operation’s success was made possible through the strong collaboration of federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, whose commitment and cooperation remain essential to these efforts. USMS Regional Fugitive Task Forces play a critical role in locating and apprehending violent offenders and supporting high-profile investigations. During this operation, task force members, alongside the Illinois State Police, and members of the U.S. Marshals Service, Eastern District of Missouri, were instrumental in the investigation and apprehension of the alleged shooter of a Granite City Police Officer. Their determination, professionalism, and unwavering commitment to justice exemplify the mission of the U.S. Marshals Service” said U.S. Marshal David C. Davis. “Operations like this reflect the strength that comes from close cooperation among law enforcement agencies. By working together, we are able to locate and apprehend individuals who drive violent crime into our communities,” said FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge Christopher J. S. Johnson. “The successful arrests made during this sweep represent FBI Springfield’s continued commitment to crushing violent crime and keeping our neighborhoods safe.” “Interdepartmental operations are instrumental in keeping our communities safe,” said Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly. “ISP will continue to partner with local and federal agencies to get violent criminals off the street and to protect the communities we serve.” “If members of our community are able to sleep a little easier tonight because of the joint effort of law enforcement agencies removing violent criminals from our streets, then I absolutely consider this operation a success,” Drug Enforcement Administration St. Louis Field Division Special Agent in Charge Michael Davis said. “No one should be forced to live with the fear these individuals forced upon a community. Let this operation serve as a warning that the combined force of state, local and federal law enforcement agencies is not to be taken lightly.” The roundup was a joint operation by the U.S. Marshals Service, FBI Springfield Field Office and Illinois State Police with assistance from DEA, Fairview Heights Police Department, Carlyle Police Department, Fayette County Sheriff’s Department, Mt. Vernon Police Department, Bond County Sheriff’s Department, Vandalia Police Department, Clinton County Sheriff’s Department, Danville Police Department, Johnson City Police Department, Saline County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI Atlanta Field Office. The U.S. Marshals Service Southern District of Illinois Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force consists of participating agencies from the Illinois State Police, Belleville Police Department, Granite City Police Department, Alton Police Department, ATF Chicago, Homeland Security Investigations, Illinois Department of Corrections – Parole, St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department, Madison County Sheriff’s Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department and the Effingham County Sheriff’s Department. FBI’s efforts in this operation were also part of larger initiative, Operation Coast to Coast, an operation dedicated to combatting violent crime and narcotic distribution.


title: Michigan Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Crime

body_text: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Jeremiah Telmon-Isaiah Hand, also known as “Joey,” 29, of Inkster, Michigan, was sentenced today to four years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of methamphetamine. According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 17, 2024, Hand sold approximately 29 grams of methamphetamine in exchange for $180 to a confidential informant near Ritter Park in Huntington. As part of his guilty plea, Hand admitted to conducting the transaction, to arranging it beforehand, and that co-defendant Madison Grant Sergent was with him during the transaction. Hand also admitted to additional criminal conduct as part of his guilty plea. On July 22, 2024, a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Hand in Huntington. Hand admitted that he was driving the vehicle, that he possessed $1,465 in proceeds from distributing methamphetamine, and that co-defendant Rakai Travall Hawkins was a passenger in the vehicle. Hawkins, also known as “G,” 31, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced on November 3, 2025, to eight years and one month in prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Sergent, 27, of Huntington, pleaded guilty on October 20, 2025, to aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine and is scheduled to be sentenced on February 2, 2026. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney prosecuted the case. This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), an enforcement surge that has sought to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas. 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. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-51.


component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – Four members of an anti-capitalist and anti-government group that calls for violence against United States officials have been arrested for allegedly plotting to attack two U.S. companies with improvised explosive devices this New Year’s Eve. The following defendants were arrested Friday in the Mojave Desert and are charged with conspiracy and possession of an unregistered destructive device: Audrey Illeene Carroll, 30, a.k.a. “Asiginaak,” of South Los Angeles; Zachary Aaron Page, 32, a.k.a. “AK,” of Torrance; Dante Gaffield, 24, a.k.a. “Nomad,” of South Los Angeles; and Tina Lai, 41, a.k.a. “Kickwhere,” of Glendale. The defendants are scheduled to make their initial appearances this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. “Working together, federal and local law enforcement prevented a domestic terrorist attack from occurring this New Year’s Eve in Southern California,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “Far-left anti-government extremist groups seeking to destroy the American way of life will never prevail and will always face the full force of the law.” “The Turtle Island Liberation Front – a far-left, pro-Palestine, anti-government, and anti-capitalist group – was preparing to conduct a series of bombings against multiple targets in California beginning on New Year’s Eve. The group also planned to target ICE agents and vehicles,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This was an incredible effort by our U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the FBI to ensure Americans can live in peace. We will continue to pursue these terror groups and bring them to justice.” “These arrests mark the disruption of a dangerous conspiracy to spread fear and terror across Southern California and the United States on New Year’s Eve, as well as to conduct future attacks targeting federal officers,” said John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for National Security. “This country protects the right to hold extreme views about its past, present, and future, but violence is an unmistakable and enforceable line. The National Security Division is committed to investigating and prosecuting those who cross that line.” “The defendants in this case allegedly planned to carry out terrorist attacks by targeting American businesses with explosives on New Year’s Eve, but the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and our partners moved quickly to thwart their plot in the planning phase,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The extremist group asked its supporters to organize and be ready but didn’t count on law enforcement being organized and ready to intercept their deadly plans.” “This case underscores the persistent threat posed by extremist groups and individuals, and the critical importance of continued vigilance by law enforcement to safeguard our communities,” said Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell. “The successful disruption of this plot is a powerful testament to the strength of a unified response, made possible through the close collaboration and tireless efforts of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and our allied partner agencies.” “The successful prevention of this planned attack underscores the critical importance of sustained coordination between federal, state, local, and tribal law-enforcement partners,” said San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus. “The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department works closely with the FBI through the Joint Terrorism Task Force to identify, disrupt, and neutralize threats before they can cause harm to the public.” “I commend the outstanding collaboration between our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners that prevented a potential act of violence and led to the quick arrest of individuals involved in this plot,” said Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert G. Luna. “The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department will continue to work closely with our partners to protect our residents, prevent acts intended to cause harm or fear, and safeguard the diversity that makes our county strong, especially during times when families come together to celebrate and reflect.” “Palm Springs was happy to provide logistical support to the FBI for this anti-terror case,” said Palm Springs Police Chief Andrew G. Mills. “We are appreciative of the men and women of the FBI for their steadfast support of local law enforcement and our mission to keep our communities safe.” According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, Carroll is a member of the Turtle Island Liberation Front (TILF), a group that, according to its social media page, is dedicated to “liberation through decolonization and tribal sovereignty” and for the working class to rise up and fight back against capitalism. “Turtle Island” is a term used by some Native Americans to describe the North American continent and the group has promoted anti-capitalist, anti-government sentiment by posting on social media advocating violence against U.S. officials. In late November 2025, Carroll provided to co-conspirators an eight-page handwritten document titled, “Operation Midnight Sun,” which described a bombing plot. The plan called for backpacks with bombs to be simultaneously detonated at five or more locations targeting two U.S. companies at midnight this New Year’s Eve in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area. The plan stated that the “ieds” (improvised explosive devices) would be “complex pipe bombs,” included instructions on how to manufacture the bombs, and included guidance to avoid leaving evidence behind that could be traced back to the co-conspirators. As the co-conspirators plotted their attack, Carroll acknowledged what they were planning to do would be “considered a terrorist act.” Carroll and fellow TILF member Page recruited other co-conspirators to the plot, including Gaffield and Lai. The co-conspirators took numerous steps toward executing the bombing plot, including acquiring bomb-making materials and traveling to a remote location in the Mojave Desert to construct and detonate test bombs on December 12. While in the desert, the co-conspirators took steps to begin construction of the devices, including unloading the bomb-making materials from their cars and beginning to assemble the materials on a table. They also constructed a tent to keep the bomb materials shaded from the sun, wiped down the interior of one of the pipes used for the bombs, and Carroll discussed grinding a precursor for use in an explosive powder. FBI agents then intervened and arrested the defendants before they completed assembling a functional bomb. A complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court. If convicted, the defendants would face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison on the conspiracy count and up to 10 years in federal prison on the unregistered destructive device possession count. The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating this matter. Considerable assistance was provided by the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, and the Palm Springs Police Department. FBI field offices in Boston, Buffalo, and New Orleans are also providing assistance. Assistant United States Attorneys Ian V. Yanniello and Amanda B. Elbogen of the National Security Division and Assistant United States Attorney Daniel H. Weiner of the Transnational Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case, with assistance from Justice Department Trial Attorney Patrick Cashman of the Counterterrorism Section.


title: New Orleans Man Guilty of Being Felon in Possession of Firearm

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that DAVID LOUIS IV (“LOUIS”) , age 22, a resident of New Orleans, pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). LOUIS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of fifteen (15) years, a fine up to $250,000.00, a period of supervised release up to 3 years, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. According to court documents, on April 15, 2025, the New Orleans Police Department (“NOPD”) was conducting surveillance near Conrad Park, located in the 3400 block of Hamilton Street, in New Orleans, utilizing Real Time Crime Center cameras. This area was specifically selected due to it being an area known for gun violence and narcotics trafficking. While conducting surveillance, NOPD detectives observed LOUIS and a female associate enter Conrad Park. LOUIS was in possession of a black backpack, positioned on his back. LOUIS removed marijuana from his backpack and began to smoke marijuana while talking with his associate. LOUIS also removed a black pistol from his waistband area. A silver Nissan Altima, being driven by LOUIS ’s girlfriend, and occupied by another adult female, and LOUIS ’s children, arrived at the park. LOUIS approached the Altima and engaged in a verbal argument with the vehicle’s occupants. During the argument, LOUIS removed the pistol from his waistband and waived it in the air. NOPD officers, in fully marked units, arrived in response to observing LOUIS in possession of the firearm. Observing the officer’s approaching, LOUIS entered the front passenger seat of the vehicle. While inside the Altima, LOUIS placed his pistol, a Glock, model 23, .40 caliber pistol, with an extended magazine, loaded with twenty-two (22) live rounds of ammunition, and his black backpack on the driver’s side floorboard, where the driver was seated. The officers verbally commanded LOUIS exit the vehicle. During a search of the Nissan Altima, NOPD detectives recovered LOUIS ’s pistol and backpack from the driver’s side floorboard. LOUIS ’s backpack contained three (3) live rounds of .40 caliber ammunition; a magazine containing eleven (11) live rounds of .40 caliber ammunition; a clear plastic bag containing marijuana; and a Louisiana identification card in LOUIS ’s name. LOUIS is a convicted felon and is federally prohibited from possessing firearms. United States District Court Judge Darrell J. Papillion will sentence LOUIS on April 7, 2026. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Reed of the Violent Crime Unit. * * *


title: Everett, Washington man who used a pipe bomb to blow up Black couple’s car sentenced to five years in prison

component: USAO - Washington, Western

body_text: Seattle –A 55-year-old Everett, Washington man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to five years in prison for three federal felonies including a pipe bomb explosion that destroyed a neighbor’s car, announced U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Steven Goldstine pleaded guilty in September 2025, to unlawful possession of a destructive device; unlawful possession of ammunition; and unlawful possession of a firearm. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge John H. Chun said “This case involves serious and quite frankly horrifying conduct. Add in the racist statements it is disgusting conduct.” “This defendant turned his racial hatred into a potentially deadly explosion, using a pipe bomb to blow up a car. Not everything is a hate crime, but we believe this defendant acted on racial hatred,” said U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. “After the bombing he called the victims to gloat, leaving a message with racial slurs. This time in prison will protect our community.” “Fueled by hatred for a neighbor’s race, the defendant used a pipe bomb to cause an explosion and destroy property,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. “This sentence reflects the Department of Justice’s steadfast commitment to vigorously prosecute racially motivated crimes and ensure perpetrators are held accountable.” “The violence and hatred behind this crime had no place in Everett, and our detectives worked closely with our federal partners to ensure a thorough investigation and a strong case, said Everett Police Chief John DeRousse. “The victim in this incident showed resilience in the face of a senseless act meant to intimidate and divide. We are grateful for the collaboration with the FBI, ATF, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office that ultimately brought accountability and helped reinforce that everyone in our community deserves to feel safe.” According to records filed in the case, on December 31, 2024, Everett Police responded to reports of an explosion in a car parked at an apartment complex. The victims told police they suspected Goldstine due to a conflict they had with him. The day after the explosion they received a voice message from Goldstine using racial slurs and referencing the explosion in the vehicle. The police investigation used video surveillance from the victim’s apartment and nearby businesses to link the bomber to clothing found at Goldstine’s home. The investigation also led to the guilty pleas and sentencing for two other federal crimes: unlawful possession of ammunition and unlawful possession of a firearm. Goldstine is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to prior felony convictions for burglary, arson, and possession of stolen property. Goldstine illegally possessed more than 700 rounds of ammunition which were seized from his home when it was searched following the pipe bomb explosion. Previously, in September 2020, law enforcement searched Goldstine’s residence after he pointed a gun at protestors in Everett. The action was captured on video. In that search of Goldstine’s home, the firearm was seized by law enforcement. In asking for a 78 month prison sentence prosecutors wrote to the court, “Goldstine has a deeply troubling history of violence, dating back to several serious convictions for arson in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. Violence has remained a consistent part of his life over the past five years, from assaulting a neighbor and fighting with police in 2019, to pointing a gun at protestors in 2020 to making death threats on YouTube in 2022… to bombing (the victim’s) car at the end of December 2024.” “No one should fear violence based on their beliefs or identity, and terror motivated by hate will not be tolerated. This sentence reflects our commitment to investigate and prosecute reprehensible, hate-fueled acts of violence to the fullest extent of the law,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric Jackson. “After years of hateful and violent behavior, Mr. Goldstine is now being sentenced for exploding his neighbors’ car, bragging about it, and leaving an offensive message for the victims,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “Thankfully, no one was hurt in this incident, which could well have killed someone. Together with our partners, the Puget Sound Joint Terrorism Task Force will not stand for such violent intimidation and will remain vigilant in combatting such dangerous acts.” Judge Chun ordered Goldstine to be on three years of supervised release following prison. For one of those years he ordered that Goldstine be on electronic location monitoring. The case was investigated by the Everett Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the FBI. The Snohomish County Prosecutors Office provided valuable assistance. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica M. Manca for the Western District of Washington and Trial Attorney Taylor Payne of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.


title: Charleston Woman Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Crime and Violating Supervised Release

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Tiffany Dawn Shaffer, 36, of Charleston, was sentenced today to ten years in prison, to be followed by six years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine and for violating supervised release. According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 17, 2025, a law enforcement officer conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Shaffer near St. Albans. Shaffer admitted that she possessed 2 pounds of methamphetamine in the back of the vehicle during the traffic stop. At the time of the offense, Shaffer was serving a term of supervised release after pleading guilty to the distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on June 28, 2021. The sentence imposed today includes two years to be served concurrently for committing a crime while on supervised release. Shaffer has a criminal history that also includes prior convictions for conspiracy to operate a clandestine drug laboratory and being a felon in possession of a firearm. United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the St. Albans Police Department and the assistance provided by the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum prosecuted the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-144.


title: Houston Man Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Federal Prison for Jugging Robbery of ATM Technician

body_text: A Houston, Texas man was sentenced today to more than seven years in federal prison for his role in the “jugging” robbery of an ATM technician, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould. A “jugging” robbery is a type of theft where thieves follow a victim as they service or withdraw cash from ATMs or banks and then rob them. Corey Dashun Holloway, 30, of Houston, Texas pled guilty in September 2025 to the felony charge of interference with commerce by robbery relating to his role in the July 3, 2024, robbery of an ATM technician. Today, United States Senior District Judge David Godbey sentenced him to 87 months in federal prison. Holloway is the third defendant to be sentenced in this case. Also indicted with Holloway were Houston residents Johnny Juwan Clark, Tierra Toneisha Brandyberg, and Roosevelt Ford Valentine. Court records reflect that Clark, Brandyberg, Holloway, and Roosevelt have been linked to a Houston-based criminal organization called the “Hiram Clarke Money Team.” HCMT members are known to routinely travel to areas outside of Houston and engage in “jugging” style robberies and other forms of theft. According to court documents, Holloway admitted that, during the early morning hours of July 3, 2024, he traveled from Houston, Texas to the Dallas metroplex in a rental car with the intent to commit robbery. Holloway further admitted that after arriving in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, he followed an ATM technician to multiple stops as the technician repaired ATMs in Irving, Grand Prairie, Arlington, and ultimately, Midlothian, Texas. At approximately 5:35 p.m. on July 3, 2024, Holloway approached the ATM technician as he was servicing an ATM at a Chase Bank located in Midlothian, Texas. Clark, Holloway, and Valentine were wearing a hoodies and face coverings to disguise their appearance. Clark approached the technician from behind and forced him to the ground. Clark kept his fist to the back of the victim’s head as cannisters containing United States currency were removed from the ATM by Holloway and Valentine. Approximately $260,000 in United States currency was taken during the robbery. Court records reveal that after the robbery, Holloway and two of his codefendants fled from the Chase Bank in the rental car and met codefendant Tierra Tonisha Brandyberg at an apartment complex near the bank. The stolen money was loaded into a Range Rover and driven back to Houston, Texas. Evidence presented in court showed that, two days after the robbery, a jewelry store in Houston posted a video on social media of Holloway in the store in possession of large quantities of cash and purchasing a diamond Rolex, a diamond necklace and other jewelry, as depicted below: At the time of the Chase Bank robbery, Holloway was serving a probation sentence in Collin County, Texas for aggravated robbery and engaging in organized criminal activity. At today’s sentencing hearing, United States Senior District Judge David Godbey ordered that Holloway’s federal sentence run consecutive to any state sentence imposed in Holloway’s Collin County cases. Two of Holloway’s codefendants have also been sentenced to terms of imprisonment in federal prison. Codefendant Tierra Toneisha Brandyberg was sentenced to 41 months on November 3, 2025. Codefendant Johnny Clark was sentenced to 96 months on August 4, 2025. On December 2, 2025, codefendant Roosevelt Valentine pled guilty to a total of three “jugging” style robberies that targeted ATM technicians, and he is awaiting sentencing. The FBI Dallas Field Office investigated the case.


title: Felon Sentenced To 10 Years In Prison For Unlawful Possession of Machine Gun Conversion Device, Firearms And Methamphetamine

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – A North Las Vegas resident who has prior felony convictions was sentenced today by United States District Judge Gloria M. Navarro to 10 years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release for possession of a machine gun, possession of six firearms, and possession of more than 50 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute that methamphetamine to another person. The government recommended a prison sentence of 130 months and five years of supervised release. According to court documents, in April 2023, Harold Wesley Snowten IV, also known as “Insane,” unlawfully possessed six firearms, including a Taurus G2c 9x19mm pistol that had a loaded 17-round high-capacity magazine; a MasterPiece Arms Defender 9x19mm pistol that had a loaded 30-round high-capacity magazine; a Smith & Wesson 9x19mm pistol that had a loaded 16-round high-capacity magazine; a SCCY CPX-2 9x19mm pistol that had a loaded 32-round high-capacity magazine, as well as several other magazines. Furthermore, Snowten admitted that in addition to the ammunition found in the firearms and various magazines, he possessed more than 500 other rounds of ammunition. Snowten has prior felony convictions including unlawful possession of cocaine base for sale and felon in possession of a firearm, all in San Diego, California. In addition to the firearm charges, Snowten admitted that he possessed with the intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance. Snowten pleaded guilty to one count of illegal possession of a machine gun, one count of a prohibited person in possession of firearms, and one count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute methamphetamine. First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge John Wester for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, San Francisco Field Division made the announcement. This case was investigated by the ATF and the North Las Vegas Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Dan Cowhig prosecuted the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s OCDETF and Project Safe Neighborhoods. ###


title: Guatemalan National Indicted for Illegal Reentry After Multiple Deportations

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A Guatemalan national, Bayron Leopoldo Perez Batres, 63, residing in Beltsville, Maryland, made his initial appearance today in U.S. federal court in the District of Maryland and is charged with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. According to the indictment, Perez Batres unlawfully reentered the United States after having been removed on three separate occasions — in January 1996, September 2009, and May 2010. He had not received consent from the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States, as required by law. If convicted of illegal reentry, Perez Batres faces a maximum penalty of up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Matthew Thiman and Sean F. Mulryne of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorney LaShanta Harris for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case. The investigation and indictment were coordinated and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). JTFA also leads and supports U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in the prosecution of crimes related to unaccompanied alien children (UACs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant United States Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 425 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 375 U.S. convictions; more than 325 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets. An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Federal jury convicts North Chesterfield man for billing Medicaid for services he did not provide

component: USAO - Virginia, Eastern

body_text: RICHMOND, Va. – A federal jury convicted a North Chesterfield man today on charges of health care fraud and aggravated identity theft. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, from at least July 2013 through July 2019, George Nathaniel Boykins, 43, was a Qualified Mental Health Professional authorized to bill Medicaid for Mental Health Skill-Building Services (MHSS). From at least January 2014 through July 2019, Boykins caused his employers to submit false and fraudulent Medicaid claims for MHSS services that were not actually provided. “The United States holds the provision of healthcare services as a paramount priority,” said Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Through apathy and avarice, George Boykins’ misconduct – billing Medicaid for services he never delivered – robbed vulnerable Virginians of vital care and siphoned resources meant to serve them.” “Today’s conviction should send a strong message to those providers who put greed in front of patient care,” said Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Alongside our law enforcement partners and with steadfast dedication, HHS-OIG will continue to pursue those who commit health care fraud and steal from federal programs.” Boykins reported that he provided in-person MHSS services in Richmond despite having been outside the United States on the dates he falsely represented he had provided those services. While working for multiple employers, who were unaware of his employment with other service providers, Boykins reported providing services for different Medicaid recipients on the same dates and times. On one occasion, while Boykins was under investigation, Boykins billed Medicaid for in-person services he claimed to have provided at the same time he was being interviewed by law enforcement. Boykins faces a mandatory minimum of two years and up to 10 additional years in prison when sentenced on April 8, 2026. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shea Gibbons and Robert Day are prosecuting the case. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-24.


title: Cedar City Property Manager Sentenced to Prison After Defrauding Victims of Over $2.1M

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: ST. GEORGE, Utah – Blake Floyd Cozzens, 36, of Cedar City, Utah, was sentenced today to 25 months’ imprisonment for wire fraud and bank fraud for embezzling money from homeowners associations, property owners, and tenants, as well as fraudulently obtaining money from a bank and a company that provided property-management software. In addition to Cozzens’s term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge Robert J. Shelby, imposed a term of four years of supervised release and ordered he pay $2,168,640 in restitution to the victims. According to court documents and admissions made at Cozzens’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, from January 2020 to January 2025, Cozzens was the property manager for multiple HOAs and property owners in Iron County, Utah. Cozzens defrauded HOAs, property owners, and tenants by embezzling $586,300 he was responsible for safekeeping and diverting the funds for his own use. He also submitted fraudulent deposits to an online application that helps manage properties. The California corporation that offers the application lost $210,000 due to Cozzens’s fraudulent conduct. Cozzens also defrauded a bank in Las Vegas by presenting seven cashier’s checks totaling $1,414,000 to Las Vegas casinos in exchange for markers, i.e., credits to gamble. After gambling, Cozzens then falsely reported to the bank that he had lost the checks, causing the bank to stop payments to the casinos. Cozzens caused the bank to lose $1,395,673. “For over five years, Cozzens abused his position as a property manager to steal and cheat people and businesses to fund his gambling lifestyle,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “As homeowners struggle with affordability, the last thing they need to worry about is that their hard-earned money paid to HOAs will be stolen from those entrusted to serve them.” “When individuals in trusted roles commit financial crimes, they harm the very communities they are meant to serve. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to investigate fraud and ensure justice for victims,” stated Glen Henderson, Inspector in Charge of the Phoenix Division. The case was investigated jointly by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Cedar City Police Department, and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Stephen P. Dent of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.


component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore, Maryland – Bayron Leopoldo Perez Batres, 63, a Guatemalan national, made his initial appearance, today, in U.S. federal court in the District of Maryland. Perez Batres is charged with illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Acting Special Agent in Charge Evan Campanella, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland. According to the indictment, Perez Batres, who resided in Beltsville, Maryland, unlawfully reentered the United States after he was removed on three separate occasions – in January 1996, September 2009, and May 2010. He did not received consent from the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States, as required by law. An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding. If convicted, Perez Batres faces up to two years in federal prison. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The investigation and indictment were coordinated and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). JTFA also leads and supports U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in the prosecution of crimes related to unaccompanied alien children (UACs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant United States Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/ HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 425 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 375 U.S. convictions; more than 325 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets. 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. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney LaShanta Harris, and Trial Attorneys Matthew Thiman and Sean F. Mulryne of the Justice Department’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, who are prosecuting the case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Previously Deported Jamaican National Living in Hartford Pleads Guilty to Passport Fraud

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Brian Wood, Special Agent in Charge, Diplomatic Security Service, New York Field Office, announced that MARLON DAMIAN WHITE, also known as Damian Marlon White, 47, a citizen of Jamaica last residing in Hartford, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to making a false statement in a U.S. passport application. According to court documents and statements made in court, White was admitted to the U.S. as a lawful permanent resident in 1995. In subsequent years, he was convicted of various offenses, including a state conviction in New York for assault in the second degree, and a federal conviction in the Southern District of New York for a narcotics distribution offense for which he was sentenced to 24 months of imprisonment. After his federal conviction, White lost his status as a lawful permanent resident of the U.S. and, in February 2006, was deported to Jamaica. White returned to the U.S. and, on May 6, 2024, used a false name, false birth date, and false place of birth to apply for a U.S. passport in Hartford. During the application process, White provided a counterfeit birth certificate and driver’s license falsely representing that he was born in and resided in California. Judge Oliver scheduled sentencing for March 10, at which time White faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. He has been detained since his arrest on October 9, 2025. This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Chen. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: Jamaican National Sentenced for Long-Running Sweepstakes Scheme

body_text: An extradited Jamaican citizen was sentenced today to 63 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for participating in a long-running scheme to defraud an elderly California woman. According to court documents, Dwayne Anderson, 36, of Hannover, Jamaica, undertook a scheme to defraud an American woman from 2010 until 2017. Using fake names, Anderson contacted the victim by telephone, text message, and email and falsely informed her that she had won millions of dollars in a sweepstakes. The defendant persuaded the victim to send money to pay various purported fees and taxes associated with the alleged winnings. He also carefully instructed the victim how to make the payments, including having her send money to an individual in South Dakota. In furtherance of the scheme, Anderson repeatedly contacted the victim with additional requests to pay money and falsely told her that her winnings would be forthcoming so long as she paid the requested amounts. In total, the victim paid Anderson over $181,000. In September 2025, Anderson pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. Anderson was arrested on July 11, 2024, by Jamaican authorities based on a U.S. indictment and was extradited to the United States. At sentencing, Anderson was ordered to pay more than $181,075 in restitution. Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Ronald A. Parsons Jr. for the District of South Dakota; and Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group made the announcement. The USPIS investigated the case. Assistant Chief J. Matt Williams and Trial Attorneys Brandon J. Robers and Edward E. Emokpae of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson for the District of South Dakota prosecuted this case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Jamaica to secure the arrest and August 2024 extradition of Anderson. The Department of Justice further acknowledges the assistance of the Jamaica Constabulary Force in this matter.


title: Three Sentenced For Distribution of Fentanyl That Led to the Death of a Juvenile Female

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Destiny Salazar, 36, and Gabriel Orozco, 36, both of Weld County, Colorado, were sentenced after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl. Salazar was sentenced to 144 months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release. Orozco was sentenced to 168 months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release. The facts contained within the plea agreements establish that, from approximately July 2021, up through and including December of that same year, Destiny Salazar and Gabriel Orozco engaged in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl using Facebook, cell phones and various email accounts. Kaleb Hale was one of their customers, with whom they engaged in a series of transactions, one of which occurred on July 24, 2021. After Hale completed two purchases from Orozco and Salazar on that date, he and his 16-year-old girlfriend traveled to a residence in Greeley, Colorado. Hale and his girlfriend crushed one of the pills and both snorted a portion. Hale awoke the next day with severe abdominal distress; his girlfriend died during the night. Her death was the result of fentanyl intoxication. In a prior proceeding on September 19, 2025, Kaleb Hale, 23, also of Weld County, Colorado, was sentenced to 20 months in prison, to be followed six years of supervised release after pleading guilty to distribution of fentanyl to a person under 25 years of age. “Fentanyl has taken the life of another young Coloradan who had her whole life ahead of her,” said United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly. “This case should be a warning to drug users and dealers alike. Using even the smallest amount of fentanyl can have deadly consequences. Dealing this dangerous drug can put you in federal prison for a very long time.” “The staggering quantity of fentanyl we have seen flooding our borders has an impact that goes beyond the initial users, the dealers and the suppliers: This epidemic hurts families and communities,” said Marvin Massey, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Denver. “The FBI will root out the supply and bring to justice those who traffic illegal drugs.” Salazar and Orozco were sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge John L. Kane. Hale was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Philip A. Brimmer. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Weld County Drug Task Force, the Greeley Police Department, the Weld County District Attorney’s Office, and the Brighton Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bradley Giles. CASE NUMBERS: 24-cr-310-JLK; 24-cr-164-PAB


title: Father and son admit to smuggling attempt of massive firearms cache to Mexico

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: LAREDO, Texas – Two men have entered guilty pleas to trafficking at least 534 weapons along with numerous magazines and large amounts of ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Emilio Ramirez Cortes, 48, a Mexican citizen who legally resides in Albertville, Alabama, and his son, Edgar Emilio Ramirez Diaz, 23, also of Albertville, have now admitted to smuggling of goods from the United States and trafficking firearms. On Oct. 23, two vehicles, which appeared to be driving in tandem, approached the Juarez-Lincoln Port of Entry in Laredo. Ramirez Diaz drove a Chevrolet Tahoe, while his father was following in a Chevrolet Silverado. Both vehicles were hauling enclosed white box utility trailers. The Tahoe had an Alabama license plate while the other truck and two trailers had Mexican plates. At initial inspection, Ramirez Diaz admitted he was traveling with his father. Both men claimed they were not hauling any firearms, weapon parts, ammunition or currency over $10,000. Following a positive K-9 alert, law enforcement conducted a search and found false walls in both trailers which resulted in the discovery of approximately 534 firearms, 31,482 rounds of ammunition, 525 magazines, 40 scopes, four lasers, 10 rifle slings and other related items. As part of their pleas, the men admitted they were smuggling the weapons and accessories. They also acknowledged they had done so on multiple occasions. U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña will impose sentencing at a later date. At that time, both men face up to 15 years for trafficking firearms as well as another 10 years for smuggling of goods from the United States. Both convictions carry as possible punishment a $250,000 maximum fine. The father and son have been and will remain in custody pending that hearing. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Customs and Border Protection; and Department of Commerce - Bureau of Industry and Security (Office of Export Enforcement) conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Scott Bowling is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.


title: San Juan County Man Sentenced to 180 Months in Prison for Murder and Firearm Crimes

body_text: ST. GEORGE, Utah – Perry Maryboy, 61, of Bluff, Utah, was sentenced today to 180 months’ imprisonment, and a term of two years’ supervised release after he admitted to second degree murder. The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Robert J. Shelby, comes after Maryboy was originally convicted by a federal grand jury. Following an appeal reversing his guilty verdict, Maryboy pleaded guilty to murder in the second degree while within Indian Country, and use, carry, and discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. According to court documents and statements made at Maryboy’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, Maryboy unlawfully shot and killed another man while within the Navajo Nation on April 13, 2018. Maryboy admitted he was parked on the side of the road, in his truck and using his phone, south of Bluff, Utah, when he was confronted by the victim at his passenger window. An argument ensued and Maryboy exited his truck, retrieved a revolver from the backseat, loaded the revolver, and shot the victim in the back of the head as the victim was leaving. The victim died on scene in front of his common law wife and her 7-year-old child. Maryboy then fled the scene in his truck. “Our sympathies in this case are with the victim’s family who suffered this horrific tragedy,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “Mr. Maryboy acted with utter disregard for human life when he shot the victim in front of his family. The impact of this violent crime cannot be undone, but it is our hope that the victim’s family can find some peace with this case now closed.” “What began as a confrontation escalated into a senseless act of violence,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office. “The consequences of that choice will be carried by the victim’s family and loved ones for years to come. Our community is safer with this offender in prison.” The case was investigated jointly by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office’s Monticello Resident Agency, Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Nation Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorneys Mark Y. Hirata, Angela M. Reddish-Day, and Stephen P. Dent of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.


title: Richardson man sentenced to federal prison for mail theft

component: USAO - Texas, Eastern

body_text: PLANO, Texas – A Richardson man has been sentenced to prison for federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Sir Darius Lamar Edmondson, 23, pleaded guilty to possession of stolen mail and was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison and ordered to pay restitution of $3,391.31 by U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan on December 15, 2025. According to information presented in court, on October 30, 2023, Edmondson was found in possession of stolen mail. This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Morris. ###


title: Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty To Unlawful Reentry

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Rodolfo Guardado Palma, a/k/a Rodolfo Guardado-Palma, a/k/a Rodolfo Guardado, age 46, a Salvadoran national unlawfully present in Bryan County, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than two years, and a fine of not more than $250,000.00. The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. The Indictment alleged that on November 17, 2025, Guardado Palma, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on September 12, 2019, and December 12, 2019. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report. A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Guardado Palma will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.


title: Office Manager Abused Employer’s Trust And Stole Over $1,800,000 Over Ten Years

component: USAO - Alabama, Southern

body_text: MOBILE, AL – A Mobile woman employed as a manager by a pair of related Mobile-based companies for about 20 years was sentenced today to a total of 75 months in prison for defrauding her employer of over $1,800,000, from their bank accounts. To accomplish her scheme, she misused a company’s officer’s signature stamp to write herself checks and electronically transferred money to her bank accounts. According to court documents, the company Controller discovered that Kelley James Williamson, 47, had written unauthorized checks to herself for about $222,000. That triggered an internal investigation which revealed Williamson’s scheme began in early 2014 and continued until November 2024. The internal investigation also revealed a much larger loss. The employer’s lawyer contacted the Secret Service to report her crimes after she confessed to him. The Secret Service, in addition to its protective details work, investigates financial crimes. Its investigation - in coordination with the U.S. Attorney’s Office - uncovered the full expanse of her crimes and losses suffered by the businesses. Before the U.S. Attorney charged Williamson, it seized over $79,000 from Williamson’s bank accounts to preserve it as Williamson had spent lavishly leading up to Mardi Gras 2025 as the queen of a local carnival organization. It also seized her crown, estimated to be worth $2,000 or more, which will be forfeited and sold. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will apply for the funds to be restored to the businesses to offset their losses. The court ordered that Williamson must repay the businesses the remainder of the loss as restitution. “Financial crimes can and do devastate businesses and the families which own them. Unfortunately, this defendant chose to betray the businesses’ trust they’d placed in her, which is a gut punch to the people who worked side-by-side with her and trusted her all those years,” U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello said. “Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute anyone who victimizes businesses to line their own pockets.” “Ms. Williamson took advantage of her employer’s trust, stealing more than $1 million from a business here in the Mobile community,” said Resident Agent in Charge Jennifer Nissen, U.S. Secret Service Mobile Resident Office. “The U.S. Secret Service does not tolerate those who exploit our financial systems, and we appreciate our partners at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama as they worked tirelessly to bring the defendant to justice.” This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service Mobile Resident Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex F. Lankford, IV, prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.